What is Atrial Fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular and rapid heart rate leading to poor blood flow. It can cause stroke, heart failure, rapid heart rate, and other heart-related problems if left untreated.

Symptoms

Atrial fibrillation is asymptomatic in some people but the following signs and symptoms can be seen in most cases:

• Heart
  palpitations
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Shortness
  of breath
• Chest
  pain
• Difficulty
  to exercise

Causes

In atrial fibrillation, the atria (upper chambers of the heart) beat out of coordination with the ventricles (lower chambers of the heart) leading to irregular heart rate. Most of the time, it is a result of damage to the electrical system of the heart due to comorbidities such as uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart disease.

Risk factors

The risk factors for atrial fibrillation include:

• Advancing
  age
• History
  of heart diseases such as congestive heart failure, congenital heart diseases, heart
  surgery, and heart attack
• Uncontrolled
  high blood pressure
• History
  of chronic conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea, chronic kidney disease,
  lung disease, and thyroid problems
• Obesity

Diagnosis

An electrocardiogram (EKG) test is performed to identify abnormal electrical impulses in the heart. Electrodes are placed on the chest to record the electronic signals. Other tests include:

Holter
monitor: It is a type of portable electrogram used to record the heart’s
activity continuously for about 24 hours or longer.

Echocardiogram:
It is a noninvasive test that uses sound waves to produce images of the heart
and the nearby blood vessels.

Treatment

Treatment for atrial fibrillation is given to reset the heart rhythm and rate. It can be treated in different ways based on the symptoms. Treatment options available are medications, catheter-based procedures, and lifestyle changes. Cardioversion is a brief procedure (electric shock or medications) used to treat atrial fibrillation.

Inputs by Dr. Sanjeev Kalkekar, Consultant Cardiologist at Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai