Other conditions with symptoms similar to atrial fibrillation

Pinpointing the exact cause of your lightheadedness, palpitations, and chest pain can be extremely difficult. For example, after a rigorous workout, you may feel these exact sensations yet have no arrhythmia of any kind. Your doctor may ask you the following questions:

How severe are your palpitations?
Did the palpitations have a consistent pattern?
Did you feel like fainting?
Did you have chest pain?
Did you have general discomfort?

Although answers to these questions will not provide your doctor with enough information to reach a complete diagnosis, they do allow your doctor to consider several illnesses more specifically. The table below provides information on which conditions cause symptoms similar to atrial fibrillation and how they cause symptoms.

**Other conditions with similar symptoms**
Symptom	Other condition	How it causes the symptom	Tests used to diagnose
Palpitations	Anxiety disorder: Extreme nervousness or anxiety for no apparent reason Other fast heart rhythms, such as supraventricular or ventricular tachycardias	Stress triggers the release of the hormone adrenaline, causing a rise in heart rate.	EKG, ECG Holter monitor
Chest pain (angina)	Coronary artery disease: A hard, waxy substance (plaque) that develops in the coronary arteries, reducing the supply of oxygenated blood to the heart muscle	Because the passage through which the blood flows is narrower, oxygen is prevented from reaching the heart muscle. This causes pain or pressure in the chest (angina).	Stress test Coronary angiography
Fatigue	Poor physical conditioning: Being out of shape	Performing physical activity that you are unaccustomed to can cause general fatigue.	Blood test Stress test
Fatigue	Other conditions: Anemia Electrolyte imbalance Hormonal changes Low blood sugar		Blood test Stress test
Lightheadedness	Dehydration Blood loss	Decreased blood flow to the brain	Blood test Comparing blood pressures standing and lying down
Passing out (syncope)	Ventricular tachycardia or another arrhythmia Seizure	Decreased amount of blood reaches the brain.	EKG, ECG EEG

Credits

Author	Robin Parks, MS
Editor	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Associate Editor	Pat Truman, MATC
Primary Medical Reviewer	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	John M. Miller, MD - Electrophysiology
Last Updated	December 18, 2008