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often occurs in people with various types of Heart disease. Atrial fibrillation may also result from an inflammation of the heart's covering (pericarditis ), chest trauma or surgery, pulmonary disease, and certain medications
What else can I help you with?
What is more serious atrial or ventricular fibrilation?
Ventricular fibrillation is more serious than atrial fibrillation because it can lead to cardiac arrest and sudden death if not treated immediately. Atrial fibrillation, while still a serious condition, is generally less life-threatening than ventricular fibrillation.
Difference between atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter?
They're he same thing. Atrial flutter is more of a slang term, and is sometimes found in patients with atrial tachycardia. Basically, atrial fibrillation is a disorder, and atrial flutter is a symptom
What is Atrial Fibrillation and How Can It Be Treated?
What is atrial fibrillation?Atrial fibrillation is a condition that occurs when the atria, which are the heart's top two chambers, begin to beat erratically. Thyroid problems, heart disease, high blood pressure and drinking alcohol all increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation does not always indicate something serious, but it can sometimes lead to strokes and heart failure if it is left untreated.What are some of the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?A racing heartbeat is one of the first symptoms that people with atrial fibrillation will notice. Other symptoms include: chest pain, lightheadness, shortness of breath and decreased blood pressure. Atrial fibrillation can be classified as being acute or chronic. People who have acute atrial fibrillation experience the symptoms every now and then. The symptoms may last for a few hours, but they usually go away on their own. Those who have chronic atrial fibrillation always have an irregular heartbeat.What are some of the treatments available for atrial fibrillation?A doctor will usually prescribe an anti-arrhythmic medication such as Beta Pace and Tambocor. These medications work by helping the heart maintain a normal rhythm. The doctor may also elect to perform a procedure called electrical cardioconversion. Electrical cardioconversion involves stopping the heart with an electric shock. When the heart starts beating again, its rhythm will be normal. A patient is sedated before an electrical cardioconversion is performed.What can be done to prevent atrial fibrillation?There are a few things that people can do to reduce their risk of developing atrial fibrillation. Caffeine and alcohol beverages have a tendency to trigger this condition. That is why the consumption of those type of beverages should be limited. It is also important to limit one's intake of salt and eat more heart healthy foods such as fish, fruits and vegetables. Exercise can also help prevent atrial fibrillation as well as improve the overall health of the heart.
Hi again, Gene. Atri?
Hi again, Gene. Atrial fibrillation is generally associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and much of this is due to its relationship with ischemic stroke and cardiac disease like heart failure. Among men, estimates range from 1.3-3.5 times more likely for strokes, cardiovascular events (e.g. heart attack), heart failure and death. In your case, however, your risks are probably lower and may even approximate those of people without atrial fibrillation; this is because you have lone atrial fibrillation (at least by some criteria-it is more commonly diagnosed among younger people). Lone atrial fibrillation is diagnosed when no underlying cause or related illness, like heart disease or diabetes, can be found. Because your atrial fibrillation is unassociated with any other symptoms or findings of heart disease, and because you are a non-smoker without obesity or hypertension, your prognosis is better than that of atrial fibrillation in general. The Pradaxa you take is to further reduce your risk of having a stroke.
what is treatment for atrial fibrillation and where can I learn more about it?
It is easy, leave the above things, as it's a precipitating cause of your atrial fibrillation. Next you can use a calcium channel blocker, or in extreme cases a ICD is implanted. Talk it out with your doctor, may be he will run a couple of tests.
What is the difference between flutter and atrial fibrillation (AFib)?
Flutter and atrial fibrillation (AFib) are both types of abnormal heart rhythms, but they differ in their patterns. Atrial flutter is a regular and organized rhythm, while AFib is irregular and chaotic. Both conditions can cause symptoms like palpitations and fatigue, but AFib is generally considered more serious and may require more aggressive treatment.
What is heart Fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation is where the electrical impulses within the atria become very rapid and irregular. Atrial rates are usally between 300- 400 BPM or more. How it can happen: 1) Electric shock 2) ion imbalance within heart cells 3) Re- entry pathway. For more information please contactHeartquestionsanswerd@hotmail.co.uk We will answer your question for FREE however use this information as a guide ONLY. I am NOT a doctor but I have been studying the heart for many years and the information here is up=to date.Fibrillation is a medical term and refers to the quivering of a muscle, usually in the heart, as opposed to it contracting properly. Due to uncoordination of the muscle fibrils. Common terms heard are atrial and ventricular fibrillation, the first meaning that the atria of the heart (chamber that fills with blood) is not working well. When ventricular fibrillation occurs, only a small amount of blood is pumped out of the heart. This is the more serious of the two conditions.
What is the difference between atrial fibrillation (AFib) and atrial flutter?
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) and atrial flutter are both types of irregular heart rhythms that originate in the upper chambers of the heart (atria). The main difference between the two is the pattern of the abnormal heartbeats. In AFib, the heartbeats are irregular and chaotic, while in atrial flutter, the heartbeats are typically more organized and rapid. Both conditions can increase the risk of complications like stroke and heart failure, so it's important to seek medical attention if you experience symptoms of either condition.
How do you calculate QTc in atrial fibrillation?
To calculate the corrected QT interval (QTc) in patients with atrial fibrillation, you typically use the Bazett's formula: QTc = QT / √(RR interval), where the RR interval is measured in seconds. Due to the irregular heart rate in atrial fibrillation, it can be beneficial to average several RR intervals to obtain a more accurate measurement. The QT interval is measured from the beginning of the Q wave to the end of the T wave on the ECG. It's crucial to ensure that the QT interval is accurately measured in the context of the patient's rhythm and heart rate.
Which is more dangerous atrial fibrillation or ventricular fibrillation?
Ventricular fibrillation. Basically the patient is dead. Atrial fibrillation causes an irregular heartbeat because the ventricles are receiving disorganized impulses from the SA node. Ventricular fibrillation is where the SA node and the AV node are not firing and the Purkinje fibers are supplying the electrical impulses to the heart. However, the Purkinje fibers are not able to supply enough electricity to contract the ventricles so the heart is twitching but not beating. A heart that is not beating is not circulating blood which means the patient is dead.
How dangerous is atrial fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) is a very dangerous condition. In A-fib, the heart is trying to pump too fast, but is uncoordinated. This means that blood is not circulated around the body well. It also causes blood to swirl around inside the heart and can lead to forming blood clots. If one of these blood clots goes to the lungs it can cause a pulmonary embolis, or if it goes to the brain it can cause a stroke, both of which could be deadly.
Should someone with atrial fibrillation have a exercise stress test or a thallium stress test?
If you are a patient currently in atrial fibrillation. Generally speaking an adenosine or lexiscan nuclear stress tests are usually the best options. The other medicated stress test is Dobutamine (both echocardiogram and Nuclear). You do not want to use Dobutamine on patients at risk to go into atrial fibrillation because it is a drug that can induce it. For patients that are in chronic atrial fibrillation dobutamine can be used but is not considered to be as diagnostic as a lexiscan or adenosine stress test. The reason being (and this goes or exercise stress tests as well) dobutamine is a heart rate dependent test. This means the closer the heart rate gets to the patients age predicted max HR the more accurate the test is at detecting heart disease. The assumption in this is that the patient is in a sinus rhythm. Myocardial oxygen demand correlates directly with patients HR when the patient is in sinus rhythm. If the patient is in atrial fibrillation that correlation with myocardial oxygen demand becomes much more cloudy thus reducing the sensitivity of an exercise or dobutamine stress test with patients in atrial fibrillation. Both lexiscan and adenosine eliminate HR demands in detecting CAD which makes them the best test for a.fib patients.
