What is Atrial Fibrillation?

Some people are diagnosed with having atrial fibrillation by their doctor. Most people do not know what this means for them. Atrial fibrillation is a type of cardiac arrhythmia. Cardiac arrhythmia means that a person has an abnormal heartbeat. Atrial fibrillation is when the atrial fibrillation chambers beat too fast and uncontrollably. There are many things to know about Atrial Fibrillation.

Chambers

Your heart has four chambers in it. The bottom two chambers are called ventricles. They let the blood out of your heart. The upper two chambers are called the atria. They help to fill the heart up with blood. When your heart is healthy it works together to make a healthy circulation of blood in your body. This makes your heart beat normally. Atrial fibrillation is an interference of healthy circulation of blood in your body making the heart beat faster.

Signs and Symptoms

There are some signs and symptoms if you have atrial fibrillation. You may experience heart palpitations which may feel like your heart has irregular heartbeats. It may feel like your heart is pounding out of your chest. You may have chest pain. You might also feel like you have shortness of breath and feel very weak. If you feel like this, see your doctor immediately.

Who is at Risk

Anyone can be at risk of having atrial fibrillation, but certain people are at more risk than others of having it. If you have heart disease such as high blood pressure you are at risk for atrial fibrillation. You can be at risk for it if you have diabetes. Also people with thyroid conditions have a higher risk.

Testing

If your doctor suspects that you have atrial fibrillation, you will probably have to get some medical testing done. There are different tests you may have. You may have to get an echocardiogram which takes pictures of your heart using sound waves. You can also be asked to have an electrocardiogram which sees the electrical activity of your heart. Another way to find out if you may have atrial fibrillation is to take a simple blood test.

Treatment

Atrial fibrillation does not have to be life threatening as long as you get the proper treatment. The most important thing is to get your heart to beat at a normal rhythm and rate. Medication is a good way to help atrial fibrillation. If your atrial fibrillation is really bad, you may have to have a pacemaker which helps keeps your heartbeat at a normal rate. If you suspect that something is wrong with your heart, always see your doctor as soon as possible. It could save your life.