Bernard Lim: What is atrial fibrillation?
Dr. Bernard Lim, a cardiologist with Prairie Cardiovascular Consultants in Springfield, Ill., explains what an atrial fibrillation is, how you get it, what happens when you get it and how do to treat it in this Q-and-A.
Q. What is atrial fibrillation?
A. Atrial fibrillation is a disorder of the rhythm of the heart that leads to an irregular heartbeat. Fibrillation is a Latin word for a "bag of worms." Literally, when a person has atrial fibrillation, the upper chambers (the atria) are squirming around like a bag of worms and not squeezing or pumping properly.
Q. How common is it?
A. There are 2.5 million Americans who suffer from atrial fibrillation, and the incidence of atrial fibrillation is set to double within the next 10 years.
Q. How does one develop atrial fibrillation?
A. The majority of patients with atrial fibrillation have electrical irritability in the pulmonary veins that drain blood from the lungs to the left atrium. Having diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity and aging can increase the size of the left atrium and, therefore, stretch the pulmonary veins that are connected to the left atrium. This leads to increased electrical irritability within the veins that fire off electrical signals into the left atrium and cause fibrillation.
Q. What are the symptoms?
A. The symptoms can vary from palpitations, a racing heart, lightheadedness, dizziness, chest tightness, shortness of breath or tiredness and fatigue.
Q. How is it recognized?
A. When the patient reports the above symptoms, the physician will usually order an electrocardiogram , aka an ECG, a Holter or an event monitor, and an atrial fibrillation will be picked up on one of these.
Q. Would atrial fibrillation cause a stroke?
A. When the atrium is not squeezing properly and is squirming like "a bag of worms," blood does not flow well, and clots can form in the left atrium. These clots can break off and fly off into the brain and cause a stroke.
Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of having a stroke by up to five times. Moreover, a patient who has poor heart function (cardiomyopathy), diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or those older than 75 or those who have a history of stroke or mini-stroke has an even greater increased risk of stroke.
Causes Of Atrial Fibrillation - News
Q. How can you treat my atrial fibrillation? For patients who have a lot of symptoms from their atrial fibrillation, treatment options can include anti-arrhythmic medications like flecainide, propafenone, sotalol or amiodarone.
Graves disease is often accompanied by an increase in heart rate, which may lead to cardiovascular damage and further heart complications including loss of the normal heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation), which may lead to stroke.
(BMY) yesterday published details of a study that positions their experimental drug apixaban, expected to lag Xarelto, as a potential leader in the $7 billion market for warding off strokes in patients with a condition known as atrial fibrillation.
Bristol-Myers and Pfizer plan to submit regulatory filings for atrial fibrillation in the US and Europe in third or fourth quarter. The condition, a common heart-rhythm disorder, can cause blood to pool and clot, which can lead to strokes if the clots
MAYWOOD, Ill. -- Loyola University Medical Center is enrolling patients in a major clinical trial of treatments for a common heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation (A-fib). The study is comparing traditional drug therapy with a newer
Atrial Fibrillation Causes Symptoms Details Together with ...
The coronary heart has two second chambers as well as cheaper chambers. Atrial fibrillation can be a symptom in that the second chambers with the cardiovascular system commitment in a high amount along with a completely disorganised style. The potential risk of acquiring atrial fibrillation raises with each passing year AF affects some percentage of folks within their Early. And also the agreements (defeats) along with squeezes blood stream having a standard beat, as an example, at a rate with 61 bests a minute you will find there’s defeat each and every second. The rate involving current throughout the atria ranges through More than two hundred to Six hundred sounds for each minute. Atrial fibrillation is normally asymptomatic, although might bring about symptoms associated with heart palpitations , fainting , heart problems , as well as cardiovascular system disappointment. In addition, the actual inconsistent activity of your atria contributes to our blood stagnation ( stasis ) which often adds to the risk of thrombus that will go from the center to your human brain as well as other places. A number of medications and even utility cardioversion is known to turn AF into a typical cardiovascular system groove. Medical along with catheter-based options they can double in order to avoid atrial fibrillation in most individuals. People who have AF are sometimes supplied blood vessels thinners just like warfarin in order to safeguard these coming from swings.
Causes associated with Atrial Fibrillation
The typical Causes connected with Atrial Fibrillation :
Heart failure.
Congenital heart disease.
Chronic lung illness.
Heart device illness.
After soul medical procedures.
Pulmonary embolism.
Hypertension (high blood pressure levels).
Cardiomyopathy.
Hyperthyroidism.
Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation
Some Symptoms involving Atrial Fibrillation :
Confusion.
Weakness.
Shortness connected with breath.
Fainting.
Pulse can experience swift, racing, thumping, fluttering, or perhaps it could experience not quick enough.
Chest discomfort.
Dizziness.
light-headedness.
Fatigue.
Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
Drugs (just like ibutilide) can occasionally regain a heart’s typical tempo. These kind of medicine is given beneath health care watch, and they are provided through an Intravenous tubing into a train of thought, generally while in the individual’s arm.
RT : How does atrial fibrillation cause heart failure? Learn more from Dr. Mortada of Aurora St. Luke’s. 
How does atrial fibrillation cause heart failure? Learn more from Dr. Mortada of Aurora St. Luke’s. 
Article on the causes and treatments of Atrial Fibrillation - Causes Of Atrial Fibrillation - Bookshelf
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