Has anyone taken their parents to one hospital and they give their parents a blanket diagnosis of AFIB?

Well said, Nojoy and Maggie.

An Afib or sometimes AFlutter diagnosis is apparent on an EKG and often suspected from a very rapid pulse rate at rest, breathlessness, dizziness and weakness. A stress test looks for a reason.

In Afib, the top chamber has, for some electrical screw-up reason, started beating crazy fast. The bottom chamber says, "What?? Are you nuts? I'm not going to beat that fast at all!"

Blood pools in the bottom chamber longer than normal. Clots can form. Depending on frequency and severity of Afib or flutter, patients may be prescribed blood thinners to help guard against clotting. Some are prescribed only an adult aspirin...as was I a month ago.

My diagnosis upon entering the hospital with a pulse at rest of 170 was Afib or flutter done after a cardiac guy looked at my primary care doc's EKG of my heart taken in her office.

Two days in the hospital, a chest X-Ray to rule out a blood clot in my lungs, a chemical stress test and prescription for a drug to slow my heart rate and thereby perhaps preclude another episode plus an adult aspirin a day and I was discharged.

A blood thinner is given to preclude blood clots. Thank the LORD your mom didn't have any.

I dont understand your problem with all of this...

Afib is not a "blanket" diagnosis. It is a very specific cardiac arrythmia (abnormal heart rhythm). People with this rhythm are put on Warfarin to prevent blood clots which may occur with this rhythm. Afib is easily diagnosed with an EKG and is very common.
Before you jump the gun may I suggest you read up on Afib also known as atrial fibrillation. You may find that the treatment recieved at the first hospital was quite appropriate.

I live in IL (near Chicago) and my mom has A-Fib. She takes warfarin daily and has for years to PREVENT clots, which can be deadly. So your mom can have A-Fib without having clots. AFib just means the heart is beating erratically. I believe it can be diagnosed with an EKG and the doctor listening to the heart. They may have checked for clots, because when the heart beats erratically, the slowed blood can clot, which can then move around the body.

My mom is going to be 96 next week and has had it for years. Hers is well controlled with a couple of heart meds to regulate the rhythm and amount of heartbeats and the warfarin (coumadin). So what you're saying about the first place doesn't sound out of line at all to me at all.

Why was she kept in the hospital? There had to be more tests, I suggest you get the hospital records.

I"m not in the Illinois area, but my dad was diagnosed with AFIB before. He had a cardiologist since he had a quadruple bypass from the 90's, but I think that an ER can diagnose AFIB. It's an irregular heartbeat, right? Sometimes, it corrects it itself, sometimes you need meds, and sometimes they jump start it back into rhythm with electric shock. My dad's went back on his own.

The trouble with AFIB is that the irregular beat can cause poor blood circulation and make you prone to blood clots, that's why they also put you on blood thinners. My dad is not on them any longer. There is a risk of blood clots, but it doesn't mean you do have them.

What you could do is get a second opinion. That should clear up any questions and make you feel more comfortable. Maybe someone make an error with her paperwork. Get a copy of the records and make sure all is legit.