TreatingandPreventingAtrialFibrillationCardiacRhythm
Atrial Fibrillation, or AFib, is a heart condition that continues to ravage theworld TheCDC estimates that over 12 million people will suffer from it by 2030, while it was directly and indirectly linked to over 183, 321 fatalities in 2019. With AFib cases spiraling fast, it’s important that we begin to take action before we have a fully fledged disaster on our hands As an experienced cardiac monitoring services provider, we had our expert cardiologists put together this article that will answer all your questions about Atrial Fibrillation
WhatisAtrialFibrillation
Atrial fibrillation falls under heart problems we call arrhythmias. Arrhythmia refers to any irregular heartbeat or rhythm, such as your heart beating too fast or too slow, among otherabnormalities
In the specific case of Atrial Fibrillation, your heart rhythm is out of sorts and beats quite fast Normally, your heartbeat can be in the region of 60 to 100 depending on physical activity, among other factors But when you have atrial fibrillation, your beats per minute (BPM)canjumptoover100andsometimesevenreach175.
To best explain how atrial fibrillation occurs, it’s important to understand how the heart works This vital organ has four chambersthataregenerallyresponsibleforbloodflow,as follows:
● Rightatrium
● Leftatrium
● Rightventricle
● Leftventricle
The left and right atriummakeupthetwoupperchambersintheheart,withtheothertwo making up the lower chambers. All of them work to coordinate the pumping action and help to circulate blood to the lungs for oxygen before it pumps the nutrient rich blood to othervitalorgans
When you have Afib, your upper chambers are totally out of sync with the lower section duetodisorganizedsignals Yourrightandleftatriumbeatirregularlyandchaotically,and yourventriclesareunabletokeepup
AreAtrialFibrillationRisksYourLife
Atrial fibrillation can vary in severity and risk depending on the exact type you have, with categoriesgenerallybreakingdownasfollows:
● Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: Here the condition occurs intermittently with episodes and symptoms lasting anywhere from just a couple of minutes to a matterofhours.
● Persistent: Your heart doesn’t revert to a regular rhythm on its own, rather the normalcyisaidedbyvarioustreatmentoptions
● Long-standing persistent: If the Afib lasts more than one year, the patient is said tohavelong standingpersistentatrialfibrillation
● Permanent: This category refers to Afibs that are beyondrestoration,andtheonly solutionismanagedthroughmedication
With atrial fibrillation comes many dangers, the toptwoofwhichincludestrokeandheart failure. Afib is directly responsible for 25% of stroke cases in patients aged 80 years and above, while thisheartarrhythmiacanincreaseyourstrokeriskbyupto600%,according tofindingsbytheNINDS.
Due to abnormal contractions, blood can flow quite slower than usual and thuscollectin pools to create blood clots When this clot finds its way to the brain and clogs cerebral bloodvessels,itcausesastroke.
In the worst case scenario, Afib can eventually pave the way for heart failure Your heart beats really fast, but with less strength and hence pumps less blood Over time, this irregular rhythm damages your heart’s muscles leadingtofailureandincreasingtherisks ofaheartattack
HowisAtrialFibrillationTreated?
Afibistreatedandmanagedinavarietyofwaysasfollows:
● Throughantiarrhythmics: The effects of atrial fibrillationmaybecounteractedby antiarrhythmics. These basically work to alter your heartbeat and getyourrhythm back to normalcy The exact type of drugs will dependonyourAfibcategorization, underlying illnesses, and the responsiveness of your condition to mediation. Typically, Afib patients combine several anti arrhythmic medicines and anticoagulants,thelatterhelpingtoremedybloodclots
● Cardioversion: Cardiologists may also recommend cardioversion, whichbasically involves the use of regulated electric shock to get back yourupperchambersinto normal sync with the rest of your heart To reduce the possibility of a stroke, your physician may recommend anticoagulants in the month prior to and after the procedure.
● Catheter ablation: When medication proves futile, catheter ablation may be the way to go It involves the strategic destruction of the heart tissues causing the abnormality
● Pacemaker: This implantable cardiac devicecangiveyourheartahelpinghandit needstogetbacktonormal,andit’sfittedviaminorsurgeryasalastresort
Your doctor may need to continue collecting ECG data byusingaportableECGmachine for home use while you recover and go about your day so you may be signed up for a remote patient monitoring program such as ours to monitor your post discharge progress.
WhatcanyoudotopreventAtrialFibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation can be incurable but the great news is that there’s much you can do to preventthecondition Someoftheseinclude:
● Ditch the caffeine Do you drink tea and coffee a littletoomuch?Itmaybetimeto cutdownandthesamegoesforalcoholandenergydrinks.
● Rely on a wearable biosensor: In conjunction with thegreenlightfromyourdoctor, you can get remote heart health monitoring services that help detect the early onset of atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias If you need a discrete biosensor thatdoesn’tgetinthewayofyourday to day,callustoday.
● Include more potassium rich foods on your menus like peanut butter, avocado, andbananas Generally,prioritizeaheart healthydiet
● Exercisemoretoloseweight,improveyourmood,andstrengthenyourheart.
● Drink more water. Hydration is key to keeping Afib at bay and we recommend at least115cupsaday
Bottomline
Arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation can be symptomatic, causing red flags in the way of headaches, light headedness, fatigue, and chest pains among others However, in some cases, the arrhythmia can be without symptoms, which makes it particularly dangerous. The best way to knowistogetaprofessionalarrhythmiadiagnosticanalysis,andCardiac Rhythm is here to help you out For offer event recording, Holter monitoring, echocardiogram, and electrocardiogram reporting services, all of which help pick out heart problems that are detectable at first glance. We also have a range of cardiac arrhythmia monitoring devices that enable you to better take charge of your heart health Callusnowtolearnmore