Atrial fibrillation is a form of irregular heartbeat and the leading cause of stroke. It is diagnosed when the electrical impulses of the heart malfunction, causing a quivering motion that slows down or stagnates the blood flow. The heart beat becomes chaotic and, if left untreated, could lead to all sorts of complications, including heart attacks and strokes that could lead to death. However, many people are unaware that atrial fibrillation is a serious condition. Also, the symptoms are often mistaken for ordinary (and non-serious) heart arrhythmias, meaning people don't get the timely help they need. Knowing how to prevent a-fib can help people to avoid this condition entirely, sidestepping a major risk factor of heart disease. Are you doing what you can to prevent atrial fibrillation, and are you aware of the latest treatments? Read on to learn more.
The first step is to recognize some of the causes of the condition and to act accordingly. The causes are divided into reversible acute causes and chronic causes, each of which can be dealt with by following the advice of a health care professional. Having regular medical checkups is essential.
These causes include acute alcohol binging, a pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, pericardial effusion, pericarditis, cardiac surgery, and thyrotoxicosis. As the question suggests, treating the underlying condition with the help of your doctor can remove the AFib in many cases.
These causes include high blood pressure, a heart attack, heart failure, heart valve disease, congenital heart disease, chronic alcohol abuse, sleep apnea, and obesity. Some of these conditions are caused by bad lifestyle choices and thus can be prevented.
Health care professionals call this condition lone atrial fibrillation. The heart is otherwise healthy, and so no discernible cause of the conditions exists. However, treatments do exist for this type of aFib as well. Consult your primary care doctor or heart specialist.
Atrial fibrillation happens in one percent of the population. It is very rare among young people but increases to about five percent as we age. Family history of atrial fibrillation is also a common risk factor. Being aware of these risk factors will help you prevent and treat the condition.
A person with AFib will sometimes feel a fluttering or racing heartbeat. Sometimes the heart will skip a beat. Often, however, atrial fibrillation will have no discernable symptoms, which means that regular checkups are necessary to catch the condition.
Clearly, some lifestyle changes are suggested to head off the onset of the disease. Proper diet and exercise to keep the weight off and keep your heart strong are excellent ideas. Don’t smoke, and drink alcohol and caffeinated beverages moderately.
You should have regular checkups as a matter of course. Tell your primary care physician if you have a family history of AFib or if you feel you have any symptoms of the disease. Your doctor may refer you to a heart specialist if necessary.
Fortunately, a number of treatments exist for AFib. These include medications that will slow your heart rate, drugs that can regulate the electrical impulses that control your heartbeat, and blood thinners that prevent clots.
Your heart specialist will try a procedure called cardioversion, which administers an electric shock that should reset your heart rhythm. You will be examined to determine if you have any blood clots and will take blood thinners if they are found before the procedure.