Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is an arrhythmia (heart rhythm disorder) causing a rapid, irregular heartbeat that disrupts blood flow. In a healthy heart, the heart's two upper chambers, called the atria, beat in sequence with the two lower chambers, called the right and left ventricles. In a patient with AFib, the atria beat faster than and out of sync with the ventricles. The result is a very rapid and disorganized heartbeat. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 6.1 million people in the U.S. suffer from atrial fibrillation.
The left image is a normal heart rhythm, and the right image shows atrial fibrillation. If you're experiencing pressure, heaviness or pain in the chest, arm or below the breastbone alone or in combination with sweating, nausea, extreme shortness of breath or irregular heartbeats, you may be having a heart attack. Call 911 immediately.
If you have a family history of heart conditions or one or more of the risk factors for AFib, talk to your primary care doctor about preventive care.
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To determine if someone has AFib, various diagnostic tests are essential. These tests help doctors diagnose and recommend personalized treatment. Diagnosing AFib usually begins with a cardiologist performing a comprehensive physical exam and discussing symptoms and medical history. Your cardiologist may refer you to an electrophysiologist for advanced testing and treatments. Diagnostic procedures include:
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Various types of medications are used to help control the rate at which your heart pumps as well as restore the heart’s normal beating rhythm.
These are procedures where our heart rhythm specialists (electrophysiologists) use advanced technology to treat the heart tissue causing irregular heartbeat. Treatment creates small amounts of scar tissue that blocks the abnormal electrical impulses causing AFib and restores the heart's normal rhythm. We offer several different types of ablation procedures including minimally-invasive hybrid convergent ablation. The following locations offer this procedure:
During this complex procedure, your surgeon stops the abnormal electrical impulses using a complicated "maze" of incisions on the atria (upper chambers) of the heart. You may be a candidate for the Cox Maze procedure if you have permanent AFib, enlarged atria (the upper chambers of the heart), or if you have had a previous failed catheter ablation procedure. The following locations offer this procedure:
According to the American Heart Association, someone with AFib is five times more likely to have a stroke compared to those without it. In fact, 15 percent of all strokes occur in people with AFib. When the atria are beating rapidly and irregularly, it may cause blood to pool in the heart. This may lead to blood clots, which can travel to the brain and cause a stroke. In people with AFib not caused by heart valve problems, most the of stroke-causing clots that come from the heart are form in a small pouch called the left atrial appendage (LAA) connected to the heart.
In addition to medications, there are devices that can reduce the risk of stroke. These devices may be appropriate for patients who cannot take medications due to certain risk factors. There are two categories of devices:
Epicardial devices are devices placed outside of the heart. During these procedures, a device or stitch is placed around the LAA, closing it and blocking blood clots from forming there and traveling to the brain. Common devices include the LARIAT and AtriClip. The following locations offer these procedures:
Endocardial devices are placed inside of the heart. During these procedures, a device is implanted inside the LAA using a catheter. The device acts as a permanent barrier to prevent blood clots from forming there and is only recommended for patients whose AFib is not caused by heart valve problems. Common devices include the WATCHMAN and Amulet Amplatzer. The following locations offer these procedures:
Many people can live a long and normal life with AFib. It is important to be diagnosed, treated and monitored by a cardiologist. While AFib isn’t typically curable, you can reduce symptoms and risk factors with proper care. Alongside medical recommendations, certain lifestyle changes including diet and exercise may be helpful too. These will help to lower your risk factors for developing other conditions such as heart disease, heart failure and stroke.
Before making any changes, always consult your doctor to make sure you understand how to prevent any potential complications from AFib. When researching AFib and treatment options, use reliable sources such as the National Institutes of Health and others your physician recommends.
What questions should I ask my doctor about AFib?
Thinking about and writing down a list of questions to ask your heart specialist about AFib is a great way to get the most out of an appointment with a cardiologist or electrophysiologist. To help you prepare, here is a list of questions you may want to ask your physician. We want to empower and educate you to make the most informed decisions about care for your heart. Example of questions to ask your doctor:
With more than 25 years of highly specialized clinical expertise in treating heart rhythm disorders like AFib, BayCare’s teams’ of heart specialists use the latest in advanced electrophysiology technology to map heart rhythm disorders and provide innovative treatments. Learn more about our outstanding facilities that provide treatment for AFib.
Call us at (855) 233-0888 or fill out the form to request a referral to a cardiac specialist.
