What is Atrial Fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation, or afib, is an abnormal heart rhythm where the heart beats erratically. Atrial fibrillation starts from the top chambers of the heart, the left atrium and right atrium. During periods of afib, the left and right atria have chaotic electrical activity instead of normal coordinated contraction. Because of this, the two top chambers of the heart are quivering instead of beating. The lack of pumping function in the left and right atria causes reduced blood flow in these chambers. This reduced blood flow may cause blood clots to form in the left atrium and this may increase the risk of a stroke.
Symptoms You Might Experience
The symptoms of afib may be palpitations, skipped heartbeats, tiredness, shortness of breath, light headedness, chest discomfort, irregular heartbeats or rapid heartbeats. Certain individuals have no symptoms and may be unaware that they have atrial fibrillation until they are diagnosed at a physician visit. Atrial fibrillation can be diagnosed with an ECG or other forms of electrocardiographic monitoring.
Treatment for Afib
Treatment for afib focuses on preventing strokes. A physician may start treatment to reduce the risk for stroke if it is needed. The treatment to reduce the risk for stroke may involve using blood thinning medications. Sometimes a device may be inserted into the left atrium to block the left atrial appendage where blood clots are most likely to form.
To learn more about atrial fibrillation, visit the American Heart Association website.
