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Atrial fibrillation is a disease that may be asymptomatic. Many patients are diagnosed by accident during routine examinations. Some feel only weakness, dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, or ringing in the ears. Meanwhile, atrial fibrillation can even be fatal.
Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common long-term arrhythmias, and the risk of its occurrence increases with age. It is often experienced by patients as irregular palpitations.
Atrial fibrillation – symptoms
Many patients with atrial fibrillation experience minimal or no symptoms of the disease. In many cases, the condition is diagnosed by accident during routine examinations. Some people only notice fatigue, weakness or shortness of breath. Others, on the other hand, complain of irregular heartbeat, often referred to as palpitations. Symptoms of atrial fibrillation also include weakness, dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, fainting, fainting, ringing in the ears.
If you are struggling with atrial fibrillation, check your blood with the Blood Clotting Monitor – QLabs® Q1 PL INR Measuring Device, which you can buy at Medonet Market at a favorable price.
Forms of atrial fibrillation
There are three types of atrial fibrillation:
- paroxysmal atrial fibrillation – episodes last no longer than 7 days and then resolve spontaneously,
- persistent atrial fibrillation – episodes last longer than 7 days and require drug treatment or cardioversion.
- permanent atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation can accompany various diseases – hypertension, heart valve defects, heart failure, thyroid or lung diseases, or it can occur without other diseases – it is called lonely (isolated) flicker.
Atrial fibrillation – risk factors
The risk of atrial fibrillation increases with age. People with valvular heart disease and heart muscle disease are at greater risk. Hypertension, diabetes, ischemic heart disease and heart failure are also factors contributing to the development of atrial fibrillation. Systemic diseases, atrial fibrosis, hyperthyroidism, lung disease, and kidney failure also increase the risk of developing this condition. Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking are also not without an impact on the occurrence of atrial fibrillation. Operations on the heart, lungs or esophagus, as well as genetic factors also have an influence on the occurrence of fibrillation.
Consequences of atrial fibrillation
During fibrillation, the atriums of the heart stop contracting regularly and begin to tremble. This condition causes blood flow problems and an increased risk of blood clots forming. Sometimes a fragment of it breaks off, which, along with the bloodstream, can flow to the cerebral arteriole and cause it to close, leading to a stroke. This is the most common and serious thromboembolic complication of atrial fibrillation. Another is heart failure. It should be remembered that the consequence of these complications may be death.
Treatment of atrial fibrillation
There are many ways to manage a patient with atrial fibrillation. The most important thing seems to be the prevention of blood clots by taking anticoagulants. It is also possible to use medications to slow down the heart rhythm. Another method of treatment is cardioversion, which is restoring the normal heart rhythm with drugs or electrical stimulation of the heart muscle. An extremely effective and more and more common method of treating atrial fibrillation is ablation consisting in destroying the foci of arrhythmia in the heart by electrocoagulation, i.e. thermal damage to the fragments of the heart muscle tissue causing arrhythmia.
Medical consultation: dr Radosław Sierpiński, Heart for Arrhythmia Foundation
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