What Is Atrial Fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a potentially serious condition where your heart beats irregularly.
AFib gets its name from the part of your heart that it affects (your atria, which are the top 2 chambers of your heart) and the type of problem it is associated with (fibrillation, which means that your atria contract too fast and irregularly).
When your heart is working normally, it contracts and pumps blood in a regular pattern. This pattern is controlled by electrical signals to your heart. When you have AFib, your heart makes disorganized electric signals. And this causes your atria to beat too fast and irregularly—preventing blood from being pumped out to your ventricles (the lower chambers of your heart). When your heart can’t pump out blood effectively, the blood can sometimes pool in your heart and form a solid mass (or blood clot). Find out how blood clots can lead to a stroke >
AFib can sometimes be linked to other common health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure. And it’s also associated with age — the older you are, the greater your risk of AFib. In addition, smoking is linked to AFib.
Some people with AFib have no symptoms at all. Others experience one or more of the following symptoms:
- Racing, irregular heartbeat
- Fluttering in the chest
- Heart palpitations
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Weakness
- Faintness
- Fatigue when exercising
- Sweating
You may find that your symptoms begin suddenly and last for a few seconds, minutes, hours, or days before stopping on their own. This is called paroxysmal AFib. Or, you may experience an irregular heartbeat that continues for a longer period of time. This is called persistent AFib. It’s important to know that, over time, both types of AFib can become more frequent and lasting, sometimes even leading to permanent AFib. Most importantly, all types of AFib can increase your risk of stroke. In fact, you are nearly 5 times more likely to have a stroke than someone who doesn’t have AFib — even if you have no symptoms at all.
Learn more about how AFib can cause a stroke >
Your doctor may suspect AFib if you have symptoms such as a fluttering or racing heartbeat. Or, your doctor may discover that you have AFib during a routine physical or as the result of testing for another condition. Remember, some people who have AFib do not have any symptoms.
If your doctor suspects AFib, he or she will want to confirm it through:
- A physical exam — This may include listening to your heartbeat and breathing, taking your pulse, recording your blood pressure, and checking for other symptoms of heart problems, such as swelling in your legs or feet.
- A complete medical history — This may include questions about your symptoms, any other health conditions you or your family members may have, and any lifestyle habits that may be contributing to your AFib (such as smoking).
- Tests such as an electrocardiogram (EKG) — This is a simple, noninvasive test that charts your heart’s rhythm on a paper graph. Depending on the frequency of your AFib episodes, your doctor may ask you to wear a portable EKG monitor at home (called a Holter monitor) in order to record your heart’s rhythm over a longer period of time (usually 24 to 48 hours).
Your doctor may also order further testing, such as a blood test, chest X-ray, or echocardiogram (a test that shows your heart in motion) to look for the underlying cause of your AFib as well as any signs of complications.
AFib treatment usually has 3 goals:
- Reducing your risk of stroke. When you have AFib, your risk of stroke is nearly 5 times higher than that of someone who doesn’t have the condition. So reducing your stroke risk is an important part of treating your AFib.
Learn about the treatments your doctor may consider to reduce your risk of stroke > - Managing your heart’s rhythm and rate. Your doctor may consider several different treatment options to help manage AFib. These may include:
- Medications that help to slow down the rate of your heartbeat or manage your heart’s rhythm.
- Lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, avoiding stress, or limiting caffeine.
- Electrical cardioversion — a procedure to attempt to put your heart back in regular rhythm.
- Radiofrequency catheter ablation — a procedure that is used to destroy abnormal tissue in the heart, which may be interfering with your heart’s electrical signals. You will be given drugs called anesthesia that will put you to sleep for this procedure.
- A pacemaker — a medical device that helps to control your heart rhythm.
- Surgery — an option in selected cases.
- Treating any underlying conditions that may be causing your AFib, such as hyperthyroidism.
This condition occurs when your body produces too much of the thyroid hormone.
If you have been diagnosed with AFib, don’t wait. Talk to your doctor today about managing your condition.
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