It is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and one of the leading causes of strokes. It is estimated that around 700 people suffer from atrial fibrillation in Poland. people! It can be asymptomatic or cause various symptoms that must not be ignored.
Atrial fibrillation, which is what?
We would like it to ring like a bell, preferably until old age. Unfortunately, our knowledge of the genius pump that is the heart is still not enough, as is the awareness of the diseases it may suffer from. We rarely listen to its rhythm and ignore the disturbing signals that our body sends us. Wojciech Malajkat talks about it in a unique educational study, which was created as part of the project “In the rhythm of arrhythmias. STOP UDAROM ”(www.stopudarom.pl).
– So much is said about our hearts, but can we really listen to what they have to say? Can we stop and devote a moment to our health in pursuit of everyday matters?
These are good questions, especially since atrial fibrillation (AF), which can feel like a fast and irregular heartbeat, is a real social problem. Currently, it affects over 37 million people in the world, but given that the incidence of AF increases with age (after the age of 65, AF is present in every fourth person), and we live longer, there will be many more patients …
Although the disorder is usually temporary and resolves spontaneously at least in the initial stage of the disease, it significantly reduces the patient’s quality of life and may lead to serious consequences.
– Because of this arrhythmia, the atria do not empty blood completely. Micro clots can form in them. If such a micro-clot breaks away from the recesses and diverticula of the atrium and flows with the bloodstream, it can close the vessel in the brain and lead to a stroke – a complication that we fear the most – explains Prof. Przemysław Mitkowski, president elect of the Polish Society of Cardiology.
It is estimated that MP increases the risk of stroke by five times! Worse still, strokes resulting from AF are characterized by a particularly severe course and functional impairment. Half of those who develop a complication of stroke die within the first year after it occurs. Patients with AF are also at risk of other thromboembolic complications (transient cerebral ischemia, peripheral limb artery embolism, splenic embolism, mesenteric artery embolism), as well as heart failure.
What should worry us?
Symptoms of atrial fibrillation vary, and the most common include:
- fast and irregular heartbeat
- heart pounding (palpitations)
- chest discomfort or pain
- dizziness and fainting
- excessive sweating and nausea
- dyspnoea,
- fatigue,
- anxiety,
- weakening of physical performance.
The biggest problem is that MP does not always make itself felt – it can be completely asymptomatic and be detected accidentally, for example on the occasion of an ECG performed for a different reason. It is estimated that about 25 percent. elderly patients do not experience arrhythmias. Meanwhile, the risk of complications is as high as in the case of patients reporting clinical symptoms. Hence, according to the latest guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology, it is advisable to actively search for arrhythmias both by the patient himself and with the use of specialized devices.
Instructions for self-testing are very simple. It is enough to place the second, third and fourth fingers of the hand in a small indentation on the inside of the forearm (near the thumb), where the radial artery runs. The pressure should be low, then you can feel the pulse under your fingers. Then you need to count the strokes within 30 seconds, and multiplying their number by 2 we get the frequency of the strokes “per minute”. A normal heart rate should be regular and within the range of 60-80 beats per minute.
– We encourage patients to listen to their heart and check their heart rate regularly. If the rhythm frequency exceeds 110 at rest, then we should think about the accurate diagnosis for the occurrence of MP, especially when it is an irregular rhythm – for example, the patient feels as if he has interruptions in the heartbeat, and then a very fast pulse frequency – explains Prof. Mitkowski.
MP is not a sentence
Experts emphasize that the diagnosis of AF does not mean the end of the world, but the key is to quickly identify arrhythmias and implement appropriate treatment that significantly reduces the risk of stroke.
The main goal of therapy is to alleviate the symptoms of AF, which can be achieved by controlling the heart rate or restoring its normal rhythm. The choice of the appropriate therapeutic option depends on the individual needs, confirmed in a given patient.
– The cooperation of the patient with the doctor is extremely important. In fact, it depends on each of us how long we will be able to live with MP and enjoy all the pleasures of everyday life – adds prof. Mitkowski.
Most patients should receive anticoagulants (anticoagulants) to reduce the risk of stroke. New generation oral anticoagulants, which are not vitamin K antagonists, have appeared in the arsenal of doctors for several years. is a stroke.
As emphasized by prof. Janina Stępińska, the prevention of heart and brain diseases is always the best scenario.
– It is extremely important to remember that the occurrence of AF can be prevented. An important element is the treatment of all diseases in which it is more common, incl. high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart failure, diabetes. It is also worth stopping alcohol consumption, smoking, monitoring blood cholesterol and taking hypolipemic drugs if necessary to slow down the development of atherosclerosis.
It is also worth raising your health awareness, which is encouraged by the organizers of the “STOP UDAROM” campaign. Each year, as part of the campaign, various types of educational activities are carried out in the field of risk factors, prevention and recognition of symptoms of stroke, and effective intervention in the event of its occurrence. Watch an educational study entitled “What’s playing in your heart?” with the participation of Wojciech Malajkat and cardiologists: prof. Janina Stępińska and prof. Przemysław Mitkowski. www.stopudarom.pl