Atrial fibrillation is a heart disorder where the normal rhythm of the heartbeat is disrupted. It can cause various symptoms and increase the risk of stroke, heart failure, and heart attack. Heart disease and high blood pressure are the main causes, and treatment involves preventing blood clots and restoring a regular heart rhythm.
Atrial fibrillation, also known as afib, is a term used to describe a heart disorder. Atrial fibrillation is a form of cardiac arrhythmia, which means that the normal rhythm of the heart beat is disrupted. The condition can be permanent, it can come and go without treatment, or it can be stopped with treatment alone.
Atrial fibrillation can cause heart palpitations, chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, weakness, and fatigue, although many people have no symptoms. An estimated two million people in the United States have atrial fibrillation. While the condition itself is not usually fatal, it can lead to an increased risk of stroke, heart failure, and heart attack.
Heart disease and high blood pressure are the two main known causes of atrial fibrillation. Both of these conditions can cause damage to the heart, making it more susceptible to cardiac arrhythmia. Other common causes are heart abnormalities or defects, disease, sleep apnea, and metabolic or chemical imbalances in the body.
The heart is made up of four chambers. The upper two chambers are known as the atria and the lower two chambers are known as the ventricles. All chambers must contract or expand at exactly the right time to ensure that blood is received by the body, oxygenated, and then pumped back to the body effectively.
After the body runs out of oxygen in the blood, it enters the heart through the right atria. From the right atrium, blood is pumped to the right ventricle, where it is pumped to the lungs, which replenish the blood with oxygen. Once supplied with oxygen, blood is transported from the lungs to the left atrium, where it is pumped into the left ventricle. From the left ventricle, oxygen-rich blood flows into the aorta, which is the largest artery in the body. From the aorta, blood re-enters the bloodstream and is distributed throughout the body.
In a healthy heart, regular electrical impulses tell the heart when to expand and contract. During atrial fibrillation, the electrical impulses are irregular and very rapid. This causes the left and right atria to quiver instead of beating effectively. Because of the irregular heartbeat, the atria may not fully pump out all the blood in them, causing blood to pool and pool.
When blood is allowed to pool, clots are more likely to form. If a piece of a formed blood clot breaks off and exits the heart, it can lodge itself in an artery of the brain causing an interruption of blood flow to the brain, resulting in a stroke. It has been estimated that about 15% of patients who have had a stroke also had atrial fibrillation.
Treatment of atrial fibrillation usually consists of preventing blood clots from forming and restoring the heart to a regular rhythm. Blood thinners and blood thinners are often prescribed to reduce the risk of stroke. Medications can also help regulate the rhythm and rate of the heart. In addition to medications, treatment may also consist of surgical and nonsurgical procedures to restore normal heart rhythm.
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