atrial fibrillation – Hello Doctor

Does your heart beat so fast that it feels like it’s banging against your chest wall; especially if you’re carrying stuff or bending down?

You may have atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (also called AFib or AF) is a quivering or irregular heartbeat. Changes in your heart rhythm lead to stroke, blood clots, heart failure and other heart-related complications.

According to the AME Medical Journal, there has been an increase in the global prevalence of atrial fibrillation in all regions of the world. In the European Union, it is estimated that AFib will increase from eight million adults over 55 years in 2010, to 17 million by 2060.

The rhythm of the heartbeat

Usually, your heart contracts and relaxes to a regular beat. With atrial fibrillation, the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat irregularly to move blood into the ventricles (the cavity or chamber that can be filled with fluid).

When this happens, the lower chambers don’t fill completely and therefore can’t pump enough blood to the lungs and body. This can result in fatigue or dizziness, heart palpitations or chest pain. Blood may also pool in the heart, which can increase your risk of having a stroke or other complications.

Symptoms 

Now and then, people with AFib have no symptoms and their condition is only detectable from a physical exam. Others may experience symptoms such as:

Rapid and irregular heartbeat.
General fatigue.
Dizziness.
Weakness.
Shortness of breath and anxiety.
Fluttering or “thumping” in the chest.
Faintness or confusion.
Fatigue when exercising.
Sweating.
Chest pain or pressure.

Diagnosis 

To diagnose atrial fibrillation, your doctor may check for symptoms, ask for your medical history, and do a physical exam. In addition, you may have tests like:

Blood tests: This will help check thyroid problems or other substances in your blood that could lead to atrial fibrillation.

Stress test: This involves running tests on your heart while you’re exercising.

Chest X-ray: X-ray images will help your doctor see the condition of your lungs and heart.

Treatment

The general goal to treat AFib is to:

Reset the rhythm or control the rate.
Prevent blood clots.
Decrease the risk of strokes.

With the help of your doctor, you’ll be able choose the most appropriate option. This will depend on whether you have other problems with your heart and if you’re able to take medication that can control your heart rhythm. In some cases, you may need more invasive treatment, like medical procedures using catheters or surgery.

With some people, an underlying condition like a thyroid disorder may trigger atrial fibrillation. Treating the condition causing atrial fibrillation may help relieve your heart rhythm problems.

Prevention 

It’s important to live a heart-healthy lifestyle to reduce your risk of heart disease and prevent atrial fibrillation.   This includes:

Eating a heart-healthy diet.
Avoiding smoking.
Exercising more often.
Limiting or avoiding caffeine and alcohol.
Reducing stress (intense stress and anger can cause heart rhythm problems).
Using over-the-counter medications with caution, as some cold and cough medications have stimulants that may trigger a rapid heartbeat.
Maintaining a healthy weight.

References:

If you’ve ever felt like your heart has skipped a beat, fluttered or flip-flopped, then you’ve experienced heart palpitations. Heart palpitations are the feelings of a fast-beating, pounding heart. Exercise, stress, certain medications, and medical conditions may trigger them.

Although heart palpitations can be scary or worrying, they aren’t usually harmful and are seldom caused by a condition. You’d usually feel heart palpitations in the throat and neck, as well as the chest. The beats can be more than 100 per minute and you can feel them when you’re active or relaxing.

In some cases, along with additional symptoms, heart palpitations can be a sign of a condition called atrial fibrillation.

What is atrial fibrillation?

When your heart beats, its muscular walls contract so it can force blood out and around the body. It then relaxes and fills with blood again, repeating the process. With atrial fibrillation, the heart’s upper chambers (atria) contract randomly and often too fast for the heart muscles to relax properly between contractions.

Due to this, the heart can’t carry out its processes efficiently. Atrial fibrillation happens when abnormal electrical impulses are sent into the atria. This becomes overwhelming for your heart and the heart’s natural pacemaker can no longer control your heart’s rhythm. So, you end up with an irregular pulse rate.

Atrial fibrillation can be occasional, persistent, permanent or long-standing and persistent (lasts for more than 12 months). It’s estimated that globally, 34 million people have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.

Common symptoms usually include:

Heart palpitations
Weakness
Reduced ability to exercise
Fatigue
Light-headedness
Dizziness
Confusion
Shortness of breath
Chest pain

Causes

Any abnormalities or damage to the heart’s structure can result in atrial fibrillation. Common conditions that may contribute to atrial fibrillation include high blood pressure, heart attacks, coronary artery disease, lung diseases, viral infections, previous heart surgery, and improper functioning of the heart’s natural pacemaker. Risk factors include being older than 65, excessive alcohol intake, family history and a chronic condition like asthma and diabetes.

Prevention

It’s important to live a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation.

Eat a heart-healthy diet.
Exercise regularly
If you smoke, quit now. Keep your weight steady without major fluctuations.
Limit or avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Find ways to reduce stress, as intense stress and anger can cause heart rhythm problems.
Use over-the-counter medications with caution, as some may trigger symptoms of atrial fibrillation.

Treatment

Medication to control atrial fibrillation.
Electric shock treatment (cardioversion).
Having a pacemaker fitted.

When to see your doctor

For any symptoms of atrial fibrillation, talk to your doctor. If he suspects atrial fibrillation, he will run tests to examine your symptoms. This is usually an electrocardiogram which helps assess if you may have any other heart disorders. If you have chest pain, go to the hospital or call emergency services immediately. Chest pain could signal a heart attack. A sudden change in your heartbeat, as well as an irregular heartbeat is cause for concern, too.

Tag: atrial fibrillation

What is atrial fibrillation?

The rhythm of the heartbeat

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Treatment

Prevention

References:

Heart palpitations : when should you worry?

What is atrial fibrillation?

Common symptoms usually include:

Causes

Prevention

Treatment

When to see your doctor

References: