When does an irregular heartbeat mean something more serious?

Your heart "skipping a beat" might sound romantic, but it could be a sign of something more serious. Atrial fibrillation -a common heart rhythm disorder- affects nearly three million Americans, according to the American Heart Association.

Atrial fibrillation, also known as A-fib, occurs when the upper chambers of the heart beat quickly and out of sync. Although A-fib itself usually isn't life-threatening, over time it can weaken the heart and raise your risk of heart attack, stroke and even heart failure.

In an effort to help you identify A-fib, Dr. Mehran Jabbarzadeh, a cardiac electrophysiologist at Advocate Condell Medical Center, discusses the signs, symptoms and treatment options available.

The view the brief video, simply copy/paste this link into your browser: http://youtu.be/9Gr6lvhEkFc