Atrial Fibrillation or Flutter

Atrial Fibrillation or flutter is a common type of abnormal heartbeat. The heart rhythm is fast and irregular in this condition.

Causes
When working well, the four chambers of the heart contract (squeeze) in an organized way.
The electrical signal that tells your heart to contract begins in an area called the sinoatrial node (also called the sinus node or SA node). These signals help your heart pump the right amount of blood for your body’s needs.

  • Parts of the heart cannot contract in an organized pattern.
  • As a result, the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.

In atrial flutter, the ventricles (lower heart chambers) may beat very rapidly, but in a regular pattern.
These problems can affect both men and women. They become more common with increasing age.
Common causes of atrial fibrillation include:

Symptoms
You may not be aware that your heart is not beating in a normal pattern.
Symptoms may start or stop suddenly. This is because atrial fibrillation may stop or start on its own.
Symptoms may include:

Exams and Tests
The health care provider may hear a fast heartbeat while listening to your heart with a stethoscope. Your pulse may feel fast, uneven, or both.
The normal heart rate is 60 – 100. In atrial fibrillation/flutter the heart rate may be 100 – 175. Blood pressure may be normal or low.
An ECG (a test that records the electrical activity of the heart) may show atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.
If your abnormal heart rhythm comes and goes, you may need to wear a special monitor to diagnose the problem. The monitor records the heart’s rhythms over a period of time.

  • Event monitor
  • Holter monitor (24-hour test)
  • Implanted loop recorder

Tests to find heart disease may include:

  • Echocardiogram (ultrasound imaging of the heart)
  • Tests to examine the blood supply of the heart muscle
  • Tests to study the heart’s electrical system

atrial fibrillation or flutter, Florida Cardiology, P.A

Treatment
Cardioversion treatment is used to get the heart back into a normal rhythm right away. There are two options for treatment:

  • Electric shocks to your heart
  • Drugs given through vein

These treatments may be done as an emergency, or planned ahead of time.
Daily medicines taken by mouth are used to:

  • Slow the irregular heartbeat. These drugs may include beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and digoxin.
  • Prevent atrial fibrillation from coming back. These drugs work well in many people, but they can have serious side effects. Atrial fibrillation returns in many people even while taking these medicines.

Blood thinners are medicines that are used to reduce the risk of developing a blood clot traveling in the body (such as a stroke). They include heparinwarfarin (Coumadin), apixaban (Eliquis), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), and dabigatran (Pradaxa).
These drugs increase the chance of bleeding, so not everyone can use them. Antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin or clopidogrel may also be prescribed. Your doctor will consider your age and other medical problems when deciding which drug is best.
A procedure called radiofrequency ablation can be used to destroy areas in your heart where the heart rhythm problems originate. You may need a heart pacemaker after this procedure.
All people with atrial fibrillation will need to learn how to manage this condition at home.

Outlook (Prognosis)
Treatment can often control this disorder. Many people with atrial fibrillation do very well.
Atrial fibrillation tends to return and get worse. It may come back even with treatment.
Clots that break off and travel to the brain can cause a stroke.

When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of atrial fibrillation or flutter.

Prevention
Talk to your health care provider about steps to treat conditions that cause atrial fibrillation/flutter. Avoid binge drinking.


Content Resource: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000184.htm

 

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Atrial Fibrillation or flutter is a common type of abnormal heartbeat. The heart rhythm is fast and irregular in this condition.

Causes When working well, the four chambers of the heart contract (squeeze) in an organized way. The electrical signal that tells your heart to contract begins in an area called the sinoatrial node (also called the sinus node or SA node). These signals help your heart pump the right amount of blood for your body’s needs.

[/text_output][icon_list style="margin: 0 0 20px 20px; padding:0;"][icon_list_item type="check"]Parts of the heart cannot contract in an organized pattern.[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]As a result, the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.[/icon_list_item][/icon_list][text_output]

In atrial flutter, the ventricles (lower heart chambers) may beat very rapidly, but in a regular pattern. These problems can affect both men and women. They become more common with increasing age. Common causes of atrial fibrillation include:

[/text_output][icon_list style="margin: 0 0 20px 20px; padding:0;"][icon_list_item type="check"]Alcohol use (especially binge drinking)[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Coronary artery disease[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Heart attack or heart bypass surgery[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Heart failure or an enlarged heart[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Heart valve disease (most often the mitral valve)[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Hypertension[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Medicines[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism)[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Pericarditis[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Sick sinus syndrome[/icon_list_item][/icon_list][text_output]

Symptoms You may not be aware that your heart is not beating in a normal pattern. Symptoms may start or stop suddenly. This is because atrial fibrillation may stop or start on its own. Symptoms may include:

[/text_output][icon_list style="margin: 0 0 20px 20px; padding:0;"][icon_list_item type="check"]Pulse that feels rapid, racing, pounding, fluttering, irregular, or too slow[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Sensation of feeling the heart beat (palpitations)[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Confusion[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Dizziness, light-headedness[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Fainting[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Fatigue[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Loss of ability to exercise[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Shortness of breath[/icon_list_item][/icon_list][text_output]Exams and Tests The health care provider may hear a fast heartbeat while listening to your heart with a stethoscope. Your pulse may feel fast, uneven, or both. The normal heart rate is 60 - 100. In atrial fibrillation/flutter the heart rate may be 100 - 175. Blood pressure may be normal or low. An ECG (a test that records the electrical activity of the heart) may show atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. If your abnormal heart rhythm comes and goes, you may need to wear a special monitor to diagnose the problem. The monitor records the heart's rhythms over a period of time.[/text_output][icon_list style="margin: 0 0 20px 20px; padding:0;"][icon_list_item type="check"]Event monitor[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Holter monitor (24-hour test)[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Implanted loop recorder[/icon_list_item][/icon_list][text_output]Tests to find heart disease may include:[/text_output][icon_list style="margin: 0 0 20px 20px; padding:0;"][icon_list_item type="check"]Echocardiogram (ultrasound imaging of the heart)[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Tests to examine the blood supply of the heart muscle[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Tests to study the heart's electrical system[/icon_list_item][/icon_list][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][image type="none" float="none" info="none" info_place="top" info_trigger="hover" src="1716"][text_output]Treatment Cardioversion treatment is used to get the heart back into a normal rhythm right away. There are two options for treatment:[/text_output][icon_list style="margin: 0 0 20px 20px; padding:0;"][icon_list_item type="check"]Electric shocks to your heart[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Drugs given through vein[/icon_list_item][/icon_list][text_output]These treatments may be done as an emergency, or planned ahead of time. Daily medicines taken by mouth are used to:[/text_output][icon_list style="margin: 0 0 20px 20px; padding:0;"][icon_list_item type="check"]Slow the irregular heartbeat. These drugs may include beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and digoxin.[/icon_list_item][icon_list_item type="check"]Prevent atrial fibrillation from coming back. These drugs work well in many people, but they can have serious side effects. Atrial fibrillation returns in many people even while taking these medicines.[/icon_list_item][/icon_list][text_output]

Blood thinners are medicines that are used to reduce the risk of developing a blood clot traveling in the body (such as a stroke). They include heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), apixaban (Eliquis), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), and dabigatran (Pradaxa). These drugs increase the chance of bleeding, so not everyone can use them. Antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin or clopidogrel may also be prescribed. Your doctor will consider your age and other medical problems when deciding which drug is best. A procedure called radiofrequency ablation can be used to destroy areas in your heart where the heart rhythm problems originate. You may need a heart pacemaker after this procedure. All people with atrial fibrillation will need to learn how to manage this condition at home.

Outlook (Prognosis) Treatment can often control this disorder. Many people with atrial fibrillation do very well. Atrial fibrillation tends to return and get worse. It may come back even with treatment. Clots that break off and travel to the brain can cause a stroke.

When to Contact a Medical Professional Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of atrial fibrillation or flutter. Prevention Talk to your health care provider about steps to treat conditions that cause atrial fibrillation/flutter. Avoid binge drinking. Content Resource: http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@hcm/documents/downloadable/ucm_300294.pdf Content Resource: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000184.htm[/text_output][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner no_margin="true" padding_top="0px" padding_bottom="0px" border="none"][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/2"][gap size=".5em"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][gap size="5em"][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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