Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition where the upper chambers beat rapidly and chaotically, leading to complications such as stroke and heart failure. Treatment options include medication and blood-thinning drugs to prevent clots from forming. Complications can also involve clots in the lungs or limbs. Lifestyle changes can help treat heart failure.
Atrial fibrillation is a disorder in which the beating of the heart’s upper chambers, or atria, develops in a rapid, chaotic rhythm that does not coordinate with that of the lower chambers, or ventricles. It is important to treat the condition, as complications of atrial fibrillation can be serious. Because the atria have an abnormal rhythm, or arrhythmia, they may not empty properly and any blood left inside may clot. A clot can travel through the circulation until it reaches and blocks a blood vessel in the brain, causing a stroke. The out-of-sync heart rhythm also reduces how efficiently the heart pumps blood around the body, and heart failure can result if the condition progresses.
Normally, the heart beat is triggered by an area of tissue, called the SA node, which acts as a pacemaker. An electrical impulse from the SA node spreads out to involve the atria, causing them to contract, and after a slight delay, the impulse reaches the ventricles, causing them to contract and squeeze blood from the heart. The pulses fire at regular intervals, creating what is called a normal sinus rhythm. In atrial fibrillation, many abnormal impulses fire randomly and override those of the SA node, causing a heart tremor. Palpitations and chest pain may occur, and because the heart is less efficient, reduced blood supply to the rest of the body causes symptoms such as shortness of breath and dizziness.
One of the main complications of atrial fibrillation, a stroke, results from the formation of clots within the atria. Incomplete emptying of the atria leads to pooling of blood within the chambers, increasing the risk of clot formation. Irregular contractions of the atria cause turbulent blood flow, which also makes clots more likely to develop. Treatment can help prevent complications of atrial fibrillation. The range of options includes medications, surgeries, and other procedures, along with regular doses of blood-thinning medications to reduce the chance of clots forming.
A stroke occurs when a clot is carried to the brain and blocks blood supply to an area of brain tissue, causing symptoms such as paralysis on one side of the body. Complications of atrial fibrillation can also involve clots getting lodged in the blood vessels of the lungs, causing difficulty breathing and chest pain, or in the limbs, hands and feet, causing a sudden cold. Treatment may involve the use of medications to break up the clot and anticoagulant medications to prevent further clotting.
Heart failure is another complication of atrial fibrillation, and fluid can build up in the lungs and legs as the heart becomes less effective. You may experience swollen ankles and legs and shortness of breath. Heart failure is treated with medication, along with lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, eating healthier, and exercising regularly.
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