// BEGIN editorial data
 var i = 0;
var atrialfibrillation_wb3 = new Array();
atrialfibrillation_wb3.sName = "atrialfibrillation_wb3";
atrialfibrillation_wb3.ID = "atrialfibrillation_wb3";
atrialfibrillation_wb3.sPubDate = "12/8/2003 11:46:29 PM GMT";
atrialfibrillation_wb3.mainsectionID = "HEALTH"
atrialfibrillation_wb3.navsectionID = "HEALTH"
atrialfibrillation_wb3.appFmt = 2;
atrialfibrillation_wb3.itemsPerPage = 1;
atrialfibrillation_wb3.appWidth = 460;
atrialfibrillation_wb3.appHeader = "Q & A|Atrial fibrillation";
atrialfibrillation_wb3.appDeck = "An estimated 2 million Americans have an irregular heartbeat condition called atrial fibrillation, according to the American Heart Association. Click on a question to learn more:";
atrialfibrillation_wb3.appFooter = "Source: <a href=http://www.americanheart.org target=_blank>AHA</a>";
atrialfibrillation_wb3.appNavStyle = 3;
atrialfibrillation_wb3.appLayout = 3;
atrialfibrillation_wb3.headHeight = 50;
atrialfibrillation_wb3.copyHeight = 140;
atrialfibrillation_wb3.copyWidth = 320;
atrialfibrillation_wb3.copyMargin = 9;
atrialfibrillation_wb3[i++] = new Array("","What is a normal heart rate?","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
atrialfibrillation_wb3[i-1].body = "As the electrical impulse moves through the heart, the heart contracts. This normally occurs 60 to 100 times a minute; each contraction represents one heartbeat. The atria contract a fraction of a second before the ventricles. This lets them empty their blood into the ventricles before the ventricles contract.";

atrialfibrillation_wb3[i++] = new Array("","What is atrial fibrillation?","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
atrialfibrillation_wb3[i-1].body = "With this condition, the two small upper chambers of the heart, the atria, quiver instead of beating effectively. Blood isn't pumped completely out of them when the heart beats, allowing the blood to pool and clot. If a piece of the blood clot in the atria becomes lodged in an artery in the brain, a stroke results. About 15 percent of strokes occur in people with atrial fibrillation.";

atrialfibrillation_wb3[i++] = new Array("","How is atrial fibrillation treated?","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
atrialfibrillation_wb3[i-1].body = "Treating atrial fibrillation as an important way to help prevent stroke. For this reason, the American Heart Association recommends aggressive treatment for the condition: <br><ul><li>A patient who has atrial fibrillation should be treated by his or her physician with some form of preventive medication. <br><li>Aspirin and warfarin, the currently used medications, can have a major beneficial effect on public health in the United States. They interfere with clotting of blood, thus helping to reduce the risk of stroke. <br><li>Physicians differ on the choice of drugs to prevent embolic stroke, which is caused by an embolus (blood clot). It is clear that warfarin is more effective against this type of stroke than aspirin. However, warfarin has side effects, especially in older patients. <br><li>Warfarin in well-regulated doses that lead to a moderate interference with clotting is effective and appears safe in many patients. <br><li>Patients at high risk for stroke should probably be treated with warfarin rather than aspirin unless there are contraindications. Examples include potential bleeding problems or ulcer. Patients over 75 should be followed especially carefully.";

	// END editorial data