Atrial Fibrillation

It is one of the most common types of cardiac arrhythmia which can increase your risk to get stroke, heart failure, and other heart problems.

You feel your heart beat too fast and irregularly, which makes you concerned about this funny rhythm, and as a result of left ventricular filling deficiency, the blood supply to the body declines.

Atrial Fibrillation either be:

1. Asymptomatic, you have atrial fibrillation and do not feel in trouble.
2. Symptomatic which include:

• Faintness or light-headedness,
• Weakness,
• Shortness of breath,
• Chest pain due to coronary insufficiency,
• Reduce the ability to exercise.

Read: Stroke prevention with Atrial Fibrillation

Risk factors for Atrial fibrillation

• Age-advanced people are more susceptible to AF.
• Heart diseases: valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, heart failure, after heart surgery, and heart attack.
• Hypertension.
• Other chronic conditions: hyperthyroidism, sleep apnea, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, lung disease,
• Alcohol consumption, binge drinking,
• Obesity,
• Some medications as cold and cough medication,
• Stimulants like caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol.

Different types of atrial fibrillation

There are three main types:

• Lone atrial fibrillation has no definite cause it usually comes episodically, comes and goes, lasting a few minutes to a few hours, and the complication is rare.
• Persistent atrial fibrillation, which does not return to normal rhythm by itself it needs conversion either medically or electrically.
• Long-standing or permanent atrial fibrillation that last more than 12 months.

Atrial fibrillation itself usually is not life-threatening, but it is a serious medical condition that sometimes needs emergency treatment.

The diagnosis depends on the auscultation of the heart the doctor hear fast and irregular heart beat, confirmed by ECG which complete irregularity of the rhythm and saw teeth appearance.

Complications of atrial fibrillation

• Stroke clot dislodge in cerebral artery and cause cerebrovascular accident,block peripheral artery in leg, arm or abdomen and cause severe ischemia and pain in the affected area. Though blood thinners lower your risk of this embolic event.

• Heart failure especially if AF is uncontrolled, so it weakens the heart and leads to heart failure.

Treatment for atrial fibrillation

Yes, there are 3 options:

1. Medical treatment to convert the rhythm or control the rate by Digoxin, amiodarone, beta blocker as metoprolol, bisolol
2. Electrical cardioversion to restore the sinus rhythm.
3. Electrical ablation via electrophysiologic study in the Cath lab, which is a sophisticated procedure, and the success rate is about 70-80%.

Prevention of atrial fibrillation

The most important thing is a healthy lifestyle:

• Eat healthy food friendly with the heart, like fish, vegetables, fruit, oats, tomato, aspergillus, nuts (almond, walnuts).
• Increase physical activity.
• Avoid smoking.
• Reduce alcohol consumption and caffeine.
• Reduce stress, intense stress, or anger is arrhythmogenic.
• Using over-the-counter medication with caution, like cold and cough medication, which can trigger a rapid heartbeat.

Is there a specific treatment for atrial fibrillation?

Yes, there are 3 options:

1. Medical treatment to convert the rhythm or control the rate by Digoxin – amiodarone, beta blocker as metoprolol, bisoprolol…
2. Electrical cardioversion to restore the sinus rhythm.
3. Electrical ablation via electrophysiologic study in Cath lab which is a sophisticated procedure, and the success rate is about 70-80%.

Any way for prevention of atrial fibrillation?

The most important thing is a healthy lifestyle:

• Eat healthy food friendly with the heart like fish, vegetables, fruit, oat, tomato, aspergillus, nuts (almond, walnuts)..
• Increase physical activity,
• Avoid smoking,
• Reduce alcohol consumption and caffeine,
• Reduce stress, intense stress, or anger is arrhythmogenic.
• Using over-the-counter medication with caution, like cold and cough medication, which can trigger a rapid heartbeat.

Dubai Cardiology clinic at Dr Rami Hamed Center provides you with one of the best cardiologists in Dubai for treating hypertension, heart failure, ischemic heart disease, Holter monitoring, stress test, chest pain, and echocardiography .