Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) is a type of irregular heartbeat. In AFib the upper part of your heart beats faster than the rest of your heart. The heart rate is faster or slower than normal. This can prevent your heart from pumping as well as it should. Your heart has extra electrical signals generated and causes the top part of your heart to contract and quiver rapidly and irregularly.
AFib may be caused by heart disease, including heart attack, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and disease of the heart valve. Other causes can be blood clots in the lungs, chronic lung disease, and thyroid disease. Alcohol and some medications, particularly decongestants or diet pills can be a cause of AFib. In some people, no cause for AFib can be found. This is referred to as “Lone Atrial Fibrillation.”
Sometimes, the first sign of AFib can be a complication of the condition. This could be a stroke or heart failure. Some common symptoms are palpitations or fluttering in your chest, a sense of chest discomfort, shortness of breath, sudden onsets of dizziness or weakness.
Complications of atrial fibrillation can include stroke, chest pain, and heart failure. Medications and procedures are available to convert AFib to a regular rhythm. However, recent studies have shown that this may not offer any advantage, and cardiac experts are continuing to research and debate on the topic.
Most important is controlling the rapid heartbeat. The rapid heartbeat causes more symptoms, and places strain on the heart. AFib is a strong stroke risk. This risk can be lessened by taking blood thinning medications or sometimes aspirin. These medications need close monitoring. Over medicating can cause bleeding and too little medication may not prevent against stroke.
AFib does tend to become a chronic condition overtime. It can cause significant complications. AFib is not usually immediately life-threatening, but it can shorten life expectancy. This seems to be worse in women. If you have “lone atrial fibrillation” and are under 60 years old, the risk of complications is very low, and life expectancy is not shortened.
If you smoke, quit smoking. Smoking increases your cardiac and lung risk. Do not drink alcohol or caffeinated drinks.
If you are overweight, choose a reduced calorie diet to lose weight. See a registered dietician for more information about healthy weight loss. Do not use diet pills as they may aggravate heart problems. If you have other heart problems that are causing AFib, you may need to eat a low salt, fat, and cholesterol diet. Exercise every day to improve your physical fitness.
If you develop chest pain, abdominal pain, sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, swollen feet and ankles, dizziness, numbness, weakness of your face of limbs, or any change in your vision or speech seek immediate medical care. In addition, if you notice a change in the rate, rhythm or strength of your heartbeat, develop an infection or any other changes in your overall health status seek medical care.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor and not affiliated with any medical school or organization. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Nothing contained here is intended to be for medical diagnosis or treatment.
