What you should know about
atrial fibrillation
“Her heart fluttered with excitement.” “He felt his heart skip a beat.” “Her heart was racing as fast as her thoughts.”
These well-worn phrases describe
sensations nearly everyone
has felt. For most people, an
occasional skip or flutter of the heart is
nothing to worry about. But for those
with a sustained irregular heartbeat
called atrial fibrillation, or AF, these
sensations may indicate serious heart
risks.
What is atrial fibrillation?
A normal heartbeat begins with an electrical signal. The signal tells the two upper chambers — the atria — to contract first. This is followed by contraction of the ventricles, the two lower chambers.In people with AF, the electrical signal is fired irregularly. The atria quiver ineffectually, and the heartbeat loses its rhythm. This can cause blood to pool in the heart and form clots. In fact, AF is the number-one cause of blood clots that lead to stroke. Risk factors and symptoms AF is the most common of heartbeat abnormalities, affecting more than two million Americans. The risk rises with age: AF occurs in an estimated 5 percent of adults older than age 65.
Other risk factors include:
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Recent heart attack or heart surgery
- An overactive thyroid
- Caffeine, tobacco or heavy alcohol use
- Use of diet pills or cough and cold medicines
In many cases, AF has no symptoms and is discovered when a patient is being treated for another condition. When symptoms do occur, they may include chest pain, sensations of a racing or fluttering pulse, dizziness, fatigue or shortness of breath.
Treatment options
If you are diagnosed with AF, your doctor may prescribe medication, such as digitalis, beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers. You also may need a blood-thinning drug, such as aspirin or warfarin, to help prevent blood clots and reduce your risk of stroke.One of the newest surgical treatments is the implantable automatic defibrillator, which is placed inside the patient’s chest. This small device detects heartbeat irregularities and sends a shock to restore the heart’s rhythm. Other surgical options include implanting a pacemaker or removing the heart tissue that is causing the irregularity.
