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Arguably the most common cardiac diagnosis in the United States, with over half a million new cases each year, atrial fibrillation is an electrical problem in the heart that causes the upper chambers of the muscle to beat rapidly and erratically. Some sufferers experience no symptoms at all, while others suffer a whole range of troublesome symptoms, including fatigue, spontaneous panic attacks, dizziness, shortness of breath, depression, weakness, and in severe cases angina (chest pain).

Simply put, electrical signals that normally direct regular heart rhythms do not perform this function as expected. Many causes have been found for this "murmur" or "flutter," including congenital defects, several varieties of Heart disease, old age, and even substance abuse. Some instances are sudden, sporadic, or transient, resulting primarily in the sensation of "palpitation," in which the wildly racing heart can be felt most directly; others are chronic and stubborn, continuing unabated for longer periods of time, or even permanently.

Treatments are numerous, depending on the goals involved. Where possible, a cardiologist will attempt to shift the rhythm back to its intended, "sinus" state, and this is called electrical or chemical cardioversion. An actual defibrillator is used in the electrical version, shocking the heart back into sinus. When this fails, medicines that attempt to block the flutter are used. In the transient version of the disorder, this can result in a relative cure.

The heart may resist these attempts, or the medicines may prove untenable. Long-term therapy often involves slowing the heart chemically with digitalis, sometimes combined with a "channel-blocker," so that the irregular heart rhythm can still provide a healthy blood flow to the body. Since strokes can result from the fact that fibrillation causes momentary stagnation of blood within the heart, blood thinners are also needed for most.

More invasive procedures exist, and among the newest are Pulmonary Vein Isolation and the Maze Procedure. In both, the extra electrical signals are treated by destroying all or part of the tissues that conduct them improperly. PVI requires a pacemaker afterward, but freedom from medicines may be worth any risks.

Treatment for atrial fibrillation can restore one to health, in other words.

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Pharmaceutical And Surgical Treatment For Atrial Fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation is the term used for an irregular heartbeat. The condition can be permanent, chronic, or temporary. The cause of most cases of atrial fibrillation is the generation of random electrical signals in the sinus node of the heart that causes irregular beating of the atria as it travels across the atrioventricular node. The actual condition does not, in and of itself, pose a large health risk. Over time, and in patients that have other medical conditions, atrial fibrillation can lead to a host of problems including stroke and heart attack. The basic treatment for atrial fibrillation involves a regiment of medications, usually accompanied by suggested dietary and lifestyle changes. The medications that are given can either attempt to better regulate the heart rate, slow down the heart rate, or speed it up. Often, there are situations where more than one type of medication is prescribed so that they work in tandem to stabilize an irregular heartbeat. For chronic, life threatening, or more severe cases, the treatment for atrial fibrillation can involve surgery or an equally complex procedure. Electro cardioversion is a procedure that applies electrical impulse to the chest over the atria in an attempt to reset the beating pattern of the heart. The procedure, however, is not always successful and sometimes provides only temporary relief. Ablation therapy is a treatment for atrial fibrillation that involves inserting wires or catheters into the heart valves. In this procedure, portions of the atrioventricular node are identified as being the source of any stray electrical pulses to the heart. These areas are then cauterized, after which scar tissue will form in time, blocking any stray signals from passing into other nodes of the heart, eliminating the irregular heartbeat. If all other options fail, however, it is possible that a pacemaker might need to be permanently implanted to regulate the heart. With almost all forms of treatment for atrial fibrillation, one of the common factors is placing the patient on anticoagulant medications that thin the blood and prevent clots from forming that could cause strokes. Additionally, most patients who have to undergo treatment for atrial fibrillation usually have to make lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and restricting intake of medications that might contain stimulants.


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