|
|
|
Key Points
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one type of
arrhythmia.
An arrhythmia is a problem with the speed or rhythm of the heartbeat.
- A disorder in the hearts electrical system
causes AF and other types of arrhythmia.
- AF occurs when rapid, disorganized electrical
signals in the atria cause them to fibrillate (contract in a very fast and
irregular way). When this happens, the hearts upper and lower chambers
dont work together as they should.
- Often, people who have AF may not even feel
symptoms. However, even when not noticed, AF can lead to an increased risk of
stroke. In many patients, particularly when the rhythm is rapid, AF can cause
chest pain,
heart
attack, or
heart
failure.
- The three types of AF are paroxysmal (the AF
comes and goes), persistent (the AF continues until stopped with treatment),
and permanent (a normal heart rhythm cant be restored).
- Certain conditions, such as problems with the
heart's structure or conditions that damage the heart's valves, can lead to AF.
Other conditions, such as
obesity
and high
blood pressure, make it more likely that an episode of AF may happen.
- More than 2 million people in the United States
have AF. It's more common in older people, and it affects both men and women.
- Signs and symptoms of AF include palpitations,
shortness of breath, weakness or difficulty exercising, chest pain, dizziness
or fainting, fatigue (tiredness), or confusion.
- AF has two major complicationsstroke
(caused when blood clots form in the atria and break off and travel to the
brain) and heart failure (caused by the hearts inability to efficiently
pump blood to the rest of the body). Heart attack is another, rarer
complication.
- Doctors diagnose AF using family and medical
history, a physical exam, and diagnostic tests and procedures. AF can be
specifically diagnosed only by
EKG
recordings.
- AF treatments, which include medicines and
procedures, are designed to prevent blood clots from forming, restore normal
the heart rate or rhythm, and treat underlying conditions that cause or raise
the risk of AF.
- People who have AF can live normal, active lives.
For some people, treatment can cure AF and return their heart to its normal
rhythm. For people with permanent AF, treatment can successfully control
symptoms and prevent complications.
|
|
Living With Links
|