Understanding AFib

21 Austin South Asian | October 2022 Understanding AFib

A diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AFib) may be scary, but it doesn’t have to hold you back from enjoying life. Learning more about the condition and treatment options can significantly affect your prognosis and quality of living.

AFib is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia or abnormal heart rhythm. It occurs when the upper chambers of the heart, called the atria, beat rapidly or in an uncontrolled manner. AFib can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including heart palpitations, fatigue, shortness of breath, difficulty exercising, anxiety, chest pain and dizziness.

AFib impacts nearly 40 million people worldwide, according to research published in the “International Journal of Stroke,” including 6 million people in the United States alone.

Despite its prevalence, many people are unfamiliar with the symptoms, available treatment options and importance of early treatment to avoid disease progression or other life-threatening complications such as a stroke.

More than a quarter of adults living with AFib have fears and anxi-

ety about the progressive nature of the disease, according to a survey conducted by Biosense Webster, Inc., part of Johnson & Johnson MedTech.

However, a quarter of patients did not get treatment immediately after diagnosis and 44% of patients have ended up in the emergency room due to their condition. Speak to Your Doctor

Despite half of adults 55 and older

believing they may be at risk for AFib, only one-fifth (18%) said their doctors have ever discussed AFib with them and even less (10%) have proactively spoken to their doctors about it.

Recognizing symptoms and talking to your doctor as soon as possible can help prevent the progression of AFib.

Make Lifestyle Changes

About 1 in 4 adults over the age of 40 are at risk of developing AFib. The causes are wide-ranging and include non-modifiable and lifestyle factors. Some non-modifiable risk factors include age, family history and a heart disease diagnosis.

Making lifestyle changes to control factors such as obesity, smoking and sleep apnea may help lower your risk. Limiting alcohol and caffeine consumption and controlling your stress can also reduce your risk and may help manage AFib episodes.

Consider Treatment Options

For most AFib patients, treatment begins with medication. Medications can be used for controlling your heart rate, rhythm and blood thickness, but about half of patients don’t respond to or can’t tolerate medications. Catheter ablation is a procedure to restore the heart’s incorrect electrical signals that cause an abnormal heart rhythm.

It is recommended by the American College of Cardiology, the Heart Rhythm Society and the American Heart Association for patients when medication proves to be unsuccessful.

To learn more about AFib and treatment options, including catheter ablation, visit getsmartaboutafib.com.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you’re concerned about your risk of AFib, consider these questions to ask your doctor at your next visit:

Questions for your primary care physician:

1. I have some concerning symptoms. Could they be the result of AFib? 2. Do I need to take any diagnostic tests? 3. Am I at risk of stroke? 4. When should I go to the emergency room? 5. Do I need to make any lifestyle modifications? 6. What are my treatment options? 7. Should I see a specialist?

If your physician recommends medications:

1. Why are you recommending this medication? 2. What should I do if I have side effects or it doesn’t work? 3. Can I take this medication with the other medicines I’m already taking?

If medications aren’t working:

1.Am I a good candidate for a catheter ablation procedure? 2. What are the benefits and risks of a catheter ablation procedure? 3. Can you refer me to an electrophysiologist?

The Queen I Knew

(Continued From Page 15)

We’d hit a bucket of balls. I’d get a call in the morning. Crazy early. “Fancy hitting a bucket of balls?” she’d inquire.

It took a while for me to get used to how she spoke. Her accent was mostly fake. She just thought it was funny to talk like that. Not a lot of people know this but she was born in Finland and retained a really strange Finnish accent which came out when she drank.

She couldn’t pronounce the word “fish.” It came out “fiss.” I used to kid her about it and boy did that piss her off. “I could have you killed with a single nod,” she’d say. And sometimes I thought she was serious. That was the thing about Burt. She was all over the map, emotionally. Other things. Motorcycle riding. She loved that. Darts in a pub on a rainy day. Except she was super competitive and, after a few pints, this weird aggressive side would come out and she’d pick fights.

We did a thing sometimes where we went to Heathrow or Gatwick and would sit in a sports bar and play a game where you had to make up stories about the other people at the bar and where they were going and then walk over and ask them.

Closest to the truth won a drink and a Scotch egg. She loved Scotch eggs, but who doesn’t?

She was quirky. She’d do a thing where you’d be at a pub or on the bus and she’d reach behind you and slap you on the back of the head. Hard. It hurt. And she’d say, “Who done that?!” And I’d be, like, “What the hell?” And she’d be all, like, “It’s just a joke.” And then we’d sit for a while, kind of annoyed with each other. And then we’d laugh. It did hurt, though.

One of my best memories is of the time we rented flying suits and jumped off a cliff in the hills south of Inverness.

I thought she was kidding when she suggested it. But that was another thing about Burt. She was a madwoman sometimes.

I remember we stood on this cliff, both wearing those winged suits. She looked ridiculous because she also insisted on wearing one of her large hats. She was always wearing those damned hats. And I was, like, “Burt. You look ridiculous. Take off the hat.” And she started laughing and then I was, too, and I thought, How great is it to have a friend like this? And then she pushed me off the cliff and I heard her shout, “Don’t ever make fun of the hat!”

Later, we ate lunch at a little place in the local village. We watched the small crowd—mostly working people—eating pork pies, nursing pints. And she said a really cool thing. She said, “We’re all royal, you know?”

And I said, “Do you think so?”

She was silent for a moment and then turned to me and said, “Absolutely not.”

We laughed and laughed although I’m not really sure why. But that’s just who she was.

(Courtesy: https://www.newyorker.com/)

ACROSS 1. Fake deal 5. Dashboard acronym 8. Oxen connector 12. Guesstimate phrase (2 words) 13. Give a darn 14. Exhibitionist 15. It’s OTAN in French 16. Carbon monoxide lacks this 17. Geometry class prop 18. *Lou Reed: “She says, “Hey babe, take a walk on the ____ ____” 20. European “curtain” 21. Mustangs, e.g. 22. Campaign pro 23. Cause of wheezing 26. Men’s Colonial headgear 30. Fib 31. *Bon Jovi: “Take my hand, we’ll make it I swear. Woah, livin’ on a ____” 34. The only thing to fear? 35. Small and round, eyes description 37. Future fish 38. Alabama civil rights site 39. Tangelo 40. Shape clay, e.g. 42. James Corden’s network 43. Awaited deliverer 45. Same as lathees 47. 0 meridian acronym 48. World-weary 50. Prefix with legal 52. *Aerosmith: “Sing with me, sing for the year. Sing for the ____” 55. Siberian prison 56. Pakistani language 57. *Dionne Warwick: “I think I’m going out of my ____” 59. Rapidly 60. Cheese app 61. “Cogito, ____ sum” 62. Diamond’s corner 63. European Economic Community DOWN 1. *Kansas: “Carry on, my wayward ____” 2. “Stick in one’s ____” 3. Italian wine region 4. Dough 5. *The Buggles: “Video killed the ____” 6. Cattle controls 7. Bébé’s mother 8. *Elton John: “And it seems to me you lived ____ ____” 9. Capital of Norway 10. Hiking sandals brand 11. Mess up 13. Show’s other star 14. Rap sheet listing 19. Negative house description 22. p in #5 Across 23. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, e.g. 24. Military blockade 25. Bluish greens 26. Banana leftover 27. ____’s, grape jelly brand 28. Many iambs 29. *Guns N’ Roses: “Take me down to the paradise city where the ____” 32. Missouri capital tourist attraction 33. *ABBA: “Waterloo - knowing my fate is to be with ____” 36. *Queen: “You got mud on your face, you big ____” 38. Hiding place 40. Aptitude test acronym 41. Black Death 44. Picture 46. Restraint 48. Ballet rail 49. Playful 50. Immature butterfly 51. Unfortunately, exclamation 52. Jiffy’s grease 53. Spooky 54. Uncontrollable anger 55. Loquacious person’s gift 58. Not don’ts

Sudoku

Please email your sudoku answers to info@austinsouthasian.com. Name and photo of the inviduvidual with correct answer will be published in November 2022 issue.