| what causes afib? |
Atrial fibrillation is a condition when the heart's atrium (atrial) pulsates irregularly and rapidly. This condition increases the risk of blood clots, stroke, and heart failure.
In normal circumstances, the heart beats with a regular rhythm in order to drain the blood from the heart's atrium to the ventricle of the heart, for subsequent flow to the lungs or to the rest of the body. However, in atrial fibrillation, the electrical conduction of the heart and heart beat rhythm is disturbed, so the atria fails to drain blood into the ventricles.
Atrial fibrillation may arise from other illnesses or may occur to healthy people without certain medical disorders. The time span of the occurrence also varies. Sometimes only occasionally appear and last in minutes or hours, then after that it can recover by itself, which is called paroxysmal (occasional) atrial fibrillation. Others take longer, more than a week (persistent), over a year (long-standing pesistent), even chronic or permanent. For the latter three types, medications or other medical methods are required to normalize the cardiac delivery system.
Although not life-threatening, atrial fibrillation requires serious treatment to avoid more severe complications. Handling depends on the type and severity of the symptoms felt by the patient.
Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation
Common symptoms felt by atrial fibrillation patients are heart palpitations or heartbeat feels faster.serta irregular. While other symptoms include:
Fatigue, especially during exercise.
Dizzy.
Shortness of breath.
Weak.
Chest pain.
Causes of Atrial Fribrillation
Atrial fibrillation occurs when there is a disturbance in the delivery of electrical signals of the heart, where too many electrical impulses pass through the atrioventricular node (AV node) that acts as an electrical connection between the atria and the ventricles. As a result, the heart rate becomes faster (about 100-175 beats per minute) of the normal heartbeat (60-100 beats per minute). This can lead to damage to the heart structure.
Some of the medical conditions suspected to be the cause of atrial fibrillation are:
Virus infection.
Congenital heart defects.
Unbalanced metabolism, including overactive thyroid gland.
Lung disease, high blood pressure, and coronary heart attack.
Exposure to drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.
Sleep apnea disturbances (sleep apnea).
Ever had heart surgery.
Experiencing sick sinus syndrome, in which the heart's electrical impulse trigger does not work normally.
Stress resulting from a disease or surgery.
In addition to the above medical conditions, several other factors that can also make a person susceptible to atrial fibrillation are:
A history of atrial fibrillation disease in the family.
Obesity.
The habit of consuming alcohol.
Elderly.
Diagnosis of Atrial fibrillation
After performing a physical examination and reviewing the history of the disease, the doctor will establish a diagnosis through multiple examinations, including blood tests, chest scanning, electrocardiogram (EKG) with a treadmill or with a monitor holter that records cardiac activity for 24 hours, and cardiac monitoring for several weeks or month with a portable EKG device. In addition, other tests that may be recommended to support the diagnosis are echocardiogram, ie noninvasive examination with sound waves to record heart images.
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
The treatment of atrial fibrillation will be based on the patient's medical condition, including the duration of the symptoms. The goal of treatment is to restore and maintain a heart rhythm, as well as prevent blood clots. The first way that can be done is through the provision of drugs, such as:
Anticoagulant drugs, to prevent blood clots and overcome blood clots that have occurred. Examples of drugs that are usually given are aspirin and warfarin. However, anticoagulant drugs have side effects such as the risk of bleeding.
Heart rate control drug, to control or restore heart rate to normal position. Drugs that can be administered are beta blockers to make the heart rate slower (eg atenolol, biropolol, or metoprolol), calcium channel blockers to reduce muscle cell contraction (eg diltiazem and verapamil), and digoxin to reduce heart rate acceleration from the atria to the ventricle .
Antiarrhythmias to prevent the occurrence of future atrial fibrillation. Examples of these drugs are defetilide, flecainide, propafenone, amiodarone, or sotalol. Possible side effects are dizziness, nausea, or fatigue.
Causes of Atrial Fribrillation
Atrial fibrillation occurs when there is disturbance in the delivery of electrical signals of the heart, where too many electrical impulses pass through the atrioventricular node (AV node) that acts as an electrical connection between the atria and the ventricles. As a result, the heart rate is faster (about 100-175 beats per minute) of the normal heartbeat (60-100 beats per minute). This can lead to damage to the heart structure.
Some of the medical conditions suspected to be the cause of atrial fibrillation are:
Virus infection.
Congenital heart defects.
Unbalanced metabolism, including overactive thyroid gland.
Lung disease, high blood pressure, and coronary heart attack.
Exposure to drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.
Sleep apnea disturbances (sleep apnea).
Ever had heart surgery.
Experiencing sick sinus syndrome, in which the heart's electrical impulse trigger does not work normally.
Stress resulting from a disease or surgery.
In addition to the above medical conditions, several other factors that can also make a person susceptible to atrial fibrillation are:
A history of atrial fibrillation disease in the family.
Obesity.
The habit of consuming alcohol.
Elderly.
Diagnosis of Atrial fibrillation
After diagnosis through multiple examinations, including blood tests, chest scanning, electrocardiogram (EKG) with a treadmill or monitor monitor that records cardiac activity for 24 hours, and cardiac monitoring for several weeks or month with a portable EKG device. In addition, other tests that may be recommended to support the diagnosis are echocardiogram, ie noninvasive examination with sound waves to record heart images.
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
The treatment of atrial fibrillation will be based on the patient's medical condition, including the duration of the symptoms. The goal of treatment is to restore and maintain a heart rhythm, as well as prevent blood clots. The first way that can be done is through the provision of drugs, such as:
Anticoagulant drugs, to prevent blood clots and overcome blood clots that have occurred. Examples of drugs that are usually given are aspirin and warfarin. However, anticoagulant drugs have side effects such as the risk of bleeding.
Heart rate control drug, to control or restore heart rate to normal position. Drugs that can be administered as a heart rate slower (eg atenolol, biropolol, or metoprolol), calcium channel blockers to reduce muscle cell contractions (eg diltiazem and verapamil), and digoxin to reduce heart rate acceleration from the atria to the ventricle.
Antiarrhythmias to prevent the occurrence of future atrial fibrillation. Examples of these drugs are dofetilide, flecainide, propafenone, amiodarone, or sotalol. Possible side effects are dizziness, nausea, or fatigue.
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