Saturday, November 1, 2014
Since our heart is the organ that literally keeps us alive, it's no wonder that heart problems are among the most dreaded of health issues. The condition known as atrial fibrilation causes the heart to beat irregularly, and often abnormally fast. This is marked contrast to a normal, healthily functioning heart which will beat at around sixty to one hundred beats per minute when resting, and will have a regular rhythm.
This irregularity is the main symptom of the condition and can lead to a number of problems including tiredness, shortness of breath and dizziness. These symptoms can be exacerbated by an abnormally fast heartbeat (palpitations), which can reach upwards of one-hundred and forty beats per minute. Some people however have no symptoms and remain unaware that they have the condition.
The muscular walls of a normally operating heart contract and relax in an even, rhythmic process (known as systole and diastole). Blood is forced from the heart and out into the body, then drawn in again to repeat the process. In AF, the atria of the heart (its upper chambers) contract too suddenly and rapidly, interfering with the heart's operation and its capacity to provide the body with blood efficiently.
The root cause of the condition is not completely understood, but it involves the heart's electrical impulses. When these impulses fire in an irregular manner, they disrupt the heart's natural pace-making ability. This disruption occurs differently in different patients and explains the discrepancy in how AF can manifest.
In some patients, AF is very short-term and can come and go within a day or two. Other cases can last a week or more, while others can extend to over a year. Still other cases are more or less permanent and call for more significant intervention.
All varieties of the condition are more common in men than women, and are more common the older people get (although it can occur at any age). It is also more common in people with other conditions such as high blood pressure, arterial disease or a separate heart condition. Certain lifestyle factors are also thought to be triggers for the condition, heavy drinking and smoking being chief among them.
Although AF is not normally life-threatening it does increase the risk of stroke. This risk varies from patient to patient and can be calculated by a doctor. Interventions for the condition range from drugs (such as beta-blockers to slow down the heart rate) to pace-maker fitment. Modern interventions mean that many patients can expect a significant improvement in their symptoms, and in their quality of life.
This irregularity is the main symptom of the condition and can lead to a number of problems including tiredness, shortness of breath and dizziness. These symptoms can be exacerbated by an abnormally fast heartbeat (palpitations), which can reach upwards of one-hundred and forty beats per minute. Some people however have no symptoms and remain unaware that they have the condition.
The muscular walls of a normally operating heart contract and relax in an even, rhythmic process (known as systole and diastole). Blood is forced from the heart and out into the body, then drawn in again to repeat the process. In AF, the atria of the heart (its upper chambers) contract too suddenly and rapidly, interfering with the heart's operation and its capacity to provide the body with blood efficiently.
The root cause of the condition is not completely understood, but it involves the heart's electrical impulses. When these impulses fire in an irregular manner, they disrupt the heart's natural pace-making ability. This disruption occurs differently in different patients and explains the discrepancy in how AF can manifest.
In some patients, AF is very short-term and can come and go within a day or two. Other cases can last a week or more, while others can extend to over a year. Still other cases are more or less permanent and call for more significant intervention.
All varieties of the condition are more common in men than women, and are more common the older people get (although it can occur at any age). It is also more common in people with other conditions such as high blood pressure, arterial disease or a separate heart condition. Certain lifestyle factors are also thought to be triggers for the condition, heavy drinking and smoking being chief among them.
Although AF is not normally life-threatening it does increase the risk of stroke. This risk varies from patient to patient and can be calculated by a doctor. Interventions for the condition range from drugs (such as beta-blockers to slow down the heart rate) to pace-maker fitment. Modern interventions mean that many patients can expect a significant improvement in their symptoms, and in their quality of life.
About the Author:
Neil P. Hines is passionate about providing intelligent, unbiased and highly relevant medical information for people dealing with a wide range of medical conditions, including cardiovascular diseases. If you are interested in learning more about Atrial Fibrillation he recommends that you visit his friends at St. Mary's Heart and Vascular Center.
