A World Health Organization study reveals atrial fibrillation is the most common condition leading to an irregular heartbeat, and it is a serious global health problem that is growing.

Atrial fibrillation and other forms of arrhythmia interfere with the electrical activity in the upper chambers, or atria, of the heart, causing an irregular heartbeat.

This, in turn, disrupts the flow of blood through the heart, and can result in palpitations, lightheadness, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue and chest pain.

When the heart is not beating properly, blood can stagnate and clot. If clots break free and travel to the brain, they can cause a stroke.

Dr. Sumeet Chugh, associate director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, led the World Health Organization (WHO) study to analyze data from 1,784 population-based medical research papers.

He and his team of researchers were seeking to establish global and regional prevalence of the condition, as well as incidence and mortality rates among those affected.

Dr. Chugh explains: