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Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is a type of irregular heartbeat or irregular heartbeat. It causes your heart to beat irregularly and can increase your heart rate, causing the upper and lower parts of your heart to stop working properly.
Atrial fibrillation begins in the atrium, the upper part of the heart. Atrial fibrillation is a fast heartbeat. While the normal heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm), atrial fibrillation can cause the heart to beat 300 to 600 times per minute.
Atrial fibrillation can cause many symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath and heart palpitations. However, in some people, this condition does not cause any symptoms. Whether or not it causes symptoms, atrial fibrillation puts you at higher risk of stroke. Therefore, it is important to get treatment for atrial fibrillation and get the condition under control to prevent dangerous complications.
Signs and symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation causes symptoms in many people, but some people do not have any symptoms.
If you have symptoms, they may include:
Heart palpitations (rapid heartbeat or pounding heartbeat, markedly irregular heartbeat)
Chest pain Fatigue: Fatigue Decreased ability to exercise Shortness of breath, especially when lying down or moving
Dizziness or fainting Dizziness: Your symptoms may range from mild to noticeable and may occur intermittently over time It changes. The timing and details of your symptoms are important in helping your doctor diagnose and treat atrial fibrillation. It is important to keep a record of your symptoms, noting when they occur, how long they last, their severity, and what you were doing when the symptoms started.
Causes and possibilities of atrial fibrillation
When the heart beats normally, the upper two chambers of the heart (called the atria) open and contract electrically, causing the lower two chambers (ventricles) to do the job . Same. thing. This allows your atria to pump blood to your ventricles, and your ventricles to pump blood to your lungs (right) and the rest of your body (left).In atrial fibrillation, many different electrical impulses occur in the atrium at the same time, causing the electrical impulses to be very fast and irregular. This means that your atria cannot pump blood to your ventricles properly. As your atria begin to give random electrical impulses, your ventricles will continue to contract very quickly and irregularly. Therefore, they cannot pump blood throughout your body as they should. Many people with atrial fibrillation have heart disease or have experienced events in the past that change the electrical or mechanical properties of the heart.
These conditions include:
- High blood pressure
- Valve heart disease
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- Heart attack
- Heart surgery
- Congenital heart defects
Other health conditions may also increase the risk of atrial fibrillation:
- Chronic kidney disease Diabetes
- Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
- Pneumonia
- Obesity
- Sarcoidosis (internal an inflammatory disease that affects organs)
- Sleep apnea
- Venous thromboembolism (blood clots)
- Viral infections
Increase risk of developing atrial fibrillation:
- Advanced age (especially age 65 or older)Family history of atrial fibrillation
- Drinking alcohol Smoking Stimulant use (such as cocaine)
- Strenuous exercise
- Lack of physical activity
- Stress How is the atrial fibrillation test?
- Your doctor will diagnose or rule out atrial fibrillation based on:
- Your symptoms and medical history
- Physical examination
Diagnosis
In diagnosis your doctor will also ask about your family history of heart disease and your diet and exercise habits. and ask about other risk factors, heart disease. If your doctor suspects you have atrial fibrillation or another heart disease, you may need heart and lung tests.
During this examination, your doctor will:
Listen to your heartbeat and breathing. Check your pulse (pulse)measure your high blood pressure. Check your legs and feet If the thyroid gland is swollen heart To help with atrial diagnosis, also look for signs of an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), such as an enlarged thyroid. Fibrillation, Your doctor needs to do many tests. Most of these tests are designed to measure your heart rate or heart rate in a specific way.
Atrial fibrillation diagnosis may include:
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) This test involves wearing a mask on your chest and arm to record the heart’s electricity. Electrocardiogram is the primary test used to diagnose atrial fibrillation. It takes only a few minutes to complete in your doctor’s office, and your doctor can usually confirm your results right away.
Holter Electrocardiogram This is a portable electrocardiogram. It involves wearing a sensor connected to a device that you can carry in your pocket or wear on a shoulder strap. A Holter monitor usually records your heart rate for 24 to 48 hours and gives your doctor multiple pictures of your heart rate.
Event Recorders or Ambulatory Telemetry Monitors These are other types of portable EKGs that are usually worn for long periods of time, from several weeks to a month. When you have symptoms that indicate a rapid or uncertain heartbeat, you can open the data storage by pressing the button on the system. Your heart rate is then recorded before and a few seconds after you press the button.
Echocardiogram This is an ultrasound examination of your heart that uses sound waves to create video images for your doctor to examine and review. Your doctor or other healthcare professional will place a device called a transducer on your chest, which sends and receives sound waves when it thinks. You will not hear these sounds less commonly, your doctor may recommend an echocardiogram, which involves inserting a flexible tube with a small catheter into your throat. This is called a transesophageal echocardiogram.
Transesophageal echocardiogram This type of echocardiogram produces more detailed pictures of the heart, which can help your doctor detect blood clots or other problems.
Blood tests Your doctor may order blood tests to check for thyroid problems or other conditions that may cause atrial fibrillation. X-Ray X-ray Your doctor may order an X-ray of your heart and lungs to check for other conditions that may cause or contribute to atrial fibrillation.
Prediction of Atrial Fibrillation
Although atrial fibrillation is always considered a serious condition, it sometimes resolves on its own without any problems. On the other hand, atrial fibrillation can be stable and difficult to treat, leading to a high risk of serious complications. If you are diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, your prognosis will depend on the known or suspected cause, how often you experience the condition, and whether it causes symptoms.
Time of Atrial Fibrillation In some people, atrial fibrillation disappears on its own. In other cases, it is a problem that has been going on for years and may get worse over time. Atrial fibrillation can be intermittent (called paroxysmal), come and go in a seemingly random pattern, or occur only when you do certain activities. Atrial fibrillation type attacks usually last less often. 24 hours, but will last up to a week. You may need treatment for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, or the condition may occur so frequently that your doctor may recommend just monitoring your condition. Atrial fibrillation can also be permanent, meaning it can last longer than a week. This type of atrial fibrillation usually requires treatment. Long-term atrial fibrillation is defined as an abnormal heart rate that is unaffected for more than a year. If the heartbeat does not return even after various treatments, your atrial fibrillation may be considered permanent. In this case, you may need to take medication to prevent your heart from beating too fast.
Treatment
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment and Medication Selection
Potential treatments for atrial fibrillation include lifestyle changes, medications, nonsurgical treatments, and heart surgery. To help treat atrial fibrillation, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes, such as following a healthy diet if possible, getting adequate exercise, reducing stress, and limiting or avoiding alcohol and other drugs. If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, your doctor may prescribe medication to help you control your heart rate or rhythm or reduce your risk of atrial fibrillation complications. Many surgical and non-surgical procedures are used to treat atrial fibrillation. These surgeries are designed to restore your heart’s rhythm, sometimes by destroying tissue that sends abnormal signals or by changing signals that circulate abnormally in the heart.
Drug Options
Drugs used to treat atrial fibrillation may be used to help you reset or control your heart rate, control your heart rate, or prevent complications.
Anti-inflammatory drugs include:
- Procainamide (Pronestyl)
- Disopyramide (Norpace)
- Flecainide acetate (Tambocor)
- Propafenone (Rythmol)
- Sotalol ( Betapace) )
- Dofetilide (Tikosyn)
- Amiodarone (Cordarone)
- Dronedarone (Multaq)
Heart rate control medications include:
- Beta blockers
- Calcium channel blockers
- Digoxin (Lanoxin)
To reduce blood clots and stroke, you may also use
Anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as:
- Apixaban (Eliquis)
- Rivaroxaban (Xarelto)
- Edoxaban (Savaysa)
- Dabigatran (Pradaxa)
- Heparin
Blood thinners increase the risk of bleeding, and you probably shouldn’t take them if your doctor thinks you won’t. increases the risk of stroke.
Surgical and OtherProcedures
Procedures that help control atrial fibrillation range from non-surgical treatments to include:
Electric cardioversion In this procedure, you will be given a sedative and help your heart feel normal. An electric shock is delivered to your chest through electrode pads or patches to provide Catheter ablation inserts a long, thin tube into an artery and guides it to your heart. Here, heart tissue is destroyed using force, heat or cold.
Breathing that causes the heart to beat irregularly
Labyrinth Surgery Different variations of this surgery use a scalpel, weak radio waves, or cold to create a scar on the heart. It helps regulate negative electrical signals in the heart.
Atrioventricular (AV) Node Ablation This procedure, which can be applied if other treatments do not work, destroys the pathway connecting the upper and lower ventricles. It requires a pacemaker to keep the heart beating, and you also need to take blood-thinning medications.
Left Atrial Appendage Closure This procedure closes a small sac in the left atrium that can cause blood clots in the area.
Prevention
Preventing Atrial Fibrillation Many lifestyle changes can help prevent atrial fibrillation or help treat atrial fibrillation if you already have it. These steps include:
Avoid activities that cause atrial fibrillation
- Follow a heart-healthy diet
- No smoking
- Get adequate exercise
- Height and weight
- Limit alcohol
Caffeine Reduce or cope with stress Use cough and cold medications with caution (they may contain stimulants)You should make sure any existing conditions are treated or controlled. This can cause atrial fibrillation, as can sleep apnea, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
Diet and Atrial Fibrillation Following a healthy diet can help you reduce the frequency of atrial fibrillation episodes or reduce your risk of getting the disease for the first time. For example, too much salt can increase blood pressure, which increases the risk of atrial fibrillation. Caffeine is also a culprit because it increases heart rate and causes heartbeats to be more irregular. Alcohol, even in amounts that do not seem excessive, can cause atrial fibrillation and should be consumed in moderation or avoided altogether. Even foods with a good reputation, such as leafy greens and fruits, can cause problems related to your heart disease.
Mental Health and Atrial Fibrillation
People with atrial fibrillation are known to be at higher risk for depression and anxiety, which can be part of the stress and uncertainty that comes with living with the disease. However, it is possible that the link between atrial fibrillation and depression also works in the opposite direction.
Symptoms of depression increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation in the future. Steps can be taken towards your health and well-being. Including professional services and self-care, such as yoga and exercise energy, can reduce your risk of atrial fibrillation and other heart diseases. If you think you are depressed, a mental health professional can help you get an evaluation and the treatment you need.
Complications of Atrial Fibrillation Atrial fibrillation is considered a dangerous condition even if it does not cause immediate chest pain, heart attack, or other complications. Many people go years without serious problems with atrial fibrillation, but it can put you at risk for future problems in a variety of ways, including more blood clots and a slow heart rate. blood pressure. Two of the most common complications of atrial fibrillation are: and can go to the heart. The heart is another part of the body. These blood vessels can block blood flow to the body. Heart Failure If atrial fibrillation reduces the heart’s ability to pump blood, your body cannot get all the blood it needs.
Other problems caused by atrial fibrillation include:
- Stroke (blood clots traveling to the brain)
- Heart attack
- Heart Disease
Research and Statistics:
Approximately 5.3 million people in the United States have Atrial fibrillation. Approximately 700,000 of these cases remain undiagnosed. The incidence of central Atrial fibrillation is approximately 10% in adults aged 65 and over and less than 1% in adults aged 18 to 64. Since the risk of atrial fibrillation increases with age and women tend to live longer than men, women are more likely to have Atrial fibrillation than men.
Black Americans and Atrial Fibrillation According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), African Americans have a higher risk of atrial fibrillation in the following countries where they have higher rates than Black Americans. In a 2016 study, researchers followed more than 15,000 participants over several years and found that white participants had a risk of atrial fibrillation of 8.1 per 1,000 person years, while white participants had a risk of only 5.8 He found that it was. . Atrial fibrillation rate per 1000 person years. The participants were black. However, the risk of stroke, heart failure, and death was higher among black participants with atrial fibrillation. In another study with the same participants published in 2018, researchers found that the lifetime risk of atrial fibrillation was 36% in white men, 30% in white women, and 21% in black American men. 22% for black American women.
Other arrhythmias include:
Atrial flutter This condition is similar to atrial fibrillation, but the rhythm in the upper part of the heart is greater. Atrial flutter can lead to atrial fibrillation and vice versa.
Supraventricular tachycardia is a broad term that refers to various arrhythmias that occur in the upper chambers of the heart and can cause rapid heartbeats that start and stop suddenly.
Ventricular Fibrillation This condition is similar to atrial fibrillation but affects the lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart. Since these ventricles pump blood throughout the body, failure to return to normal within a few minutes can be very painful and even fatal. Long QT syndrome, a heart condition, increases the risk of rapid heartbeat, which can be debilitating and life-threatening, according to the Mayo Clinic.
