2. A vessel approaching a blind bend in a river can sound one prolonged blast on the ships' whistle to alert any other vessels to its presence, if another vessel is nearby then they will respond with one prolonged blast on the ships' whistle.
Atrial fibrillation, known as AF or Afib, is an irregular and often very fast heart rate. This may cause symptoms like heart palpitations, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Treating atrial fibrillation is important because it may cause a stroke and negatively impact your quality of life.
For many people, atrial fibrillation may cause symptoms but does no harm. 1  Complications like blood clot formation, strokes, and heart failure can arise, but appropriate treatment reduces the chances that such complications will develop.