Savvy Senior: What is AFib, and when do heart palpitations become a concern?

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: What can you tell me about atrial fibrillation? Every so often, I’ve noticed my heart starts beating rapidly for no particular reason. Is this something I should be worried about?
Heart palpitations can be harmless if they are brief and infrequent. But if you’re experiencing an erratic heart rhythm, you need to get checked out by a doctor for atrial fibrillation, or AFib.
AFib — which is marked by rapid, fluttering beats — can lead to serious complications such as stroke and heart failure, when the weakened heart can’t pump enough blood to the rest of the body.
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