The most common symptom of atrial fibrillation is fatigue, or extreme tiredness. Other symptoms include: Low blood pressure. Difficulty breathing, especially when lying down or when exercising.
When your heart isn't pumping efficiently, it can't provide enough oxygenated blood to the rest of your body. This lack of blood supply can cause fatigue, even when you're resting or being only slightly active.
There are a few ways to try and manage this fatigue. Try to keep your heart at a normal rate and rhythm as much as possible. Try to avoid things that trigger your AF and remember to take your medication as prescribed. Regular exercise, a healthy diet and quality sleep also play a key role in preventing fatigue.
AFib can make you feel fatigued since your blood flow can be reduced throughout your body. Feeling like you have less energy than normal is something many people with AFib experience. Lightheadedness. Along with making you feel tired, the reduced blood flow can cause feelings of dizziness or lightheadedness.
If you notice that your AFib episodes happen more often, last longer, or your medication doesn't help as much, your condition is probably getting worse.
Overall survival of patients with lone atrial fibrillation was 92% and 68% at 15 and 30 years, respectively, similar to the 86% and 57% rates for the age- and sex-matched Minnesota population (P=0.12, log-rank test; Figure 3A). Of the 76 patients with lone atrial fibrillation, 27 died during the 30-year follow-up.
Atrial fibrillation is generally not life threatening, many people live normal healthy lives with this condition, but it can be uncomfortable and often needs treatment. This condition increases your risk by about four to five times of having a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or stroke.
Symptoms of atrial fibrillation
This can cause problems including dizziness, shortness of breath and tiredness. You may be aware of noticeable heart palpitations, where your heart feels like it's pounding, fluttering or beating irregularly, often for a few seconds or, in some cases, a few minutes.
When atrial fibrillation occurs, the upper heart chambers beat in an unorganized rhythm. An A-fib heart rate is usually rapid, resulting in 100-200 beats per minute rather than the normal range of 60-100 beats per minute.
And, of course, get good sleep to protect your heart not only from Afib but from other cardiovascular issues associated with poor sleep hygiene. Overall, Ghannam says, sleep quality is important, along with a heart healthy lifestyle, which can't be overestimated.
If AFib doesn't get better with medicine or other treatments, a procedure called cardiac ablation may be necessary. Sometimes ablation is the first treatment. Cardiac ablation uses heat or cold energy to create tiny scars in the heart. The scars disrupt irregular heart signals and restore a typical heartbeat.
Atrial fibrillation can also lead to heart failure. Heart failure is a condition in which your heart can't circulate enough blood to meet your body's needs. Afib's irregular, fast heart beat leads to ineffective pumping of the blood which – especially if not controlled – may weaken the heart.
If your atrial fibrillation is persistent, it may start to weaken your heart. In extreme cases, it can lead to heart failure, as your heart is unable to pump blood around your body efficiently.
Atrial fibrillation is a progressive condition that tends to worsen over time. It's important to know that atrial fibrillation sometimes causes no symptoms at all.
Cardiovascular disease was the leading cause of death (38.5%), and cerebral infarction was the most common specific disease. Patients with atrial fibrillation had an about 5 times increased risk of death due to cardiovascular disease compared with the general population.
Beta blockers and calcium channel blockers are the drugs of choice because they provide rapid rate control.
A beta blocker, such as bisoprolol or atenolol, or a calcium channel blocker, such as verapamil or diltiazem, will be prescribed. The medicine you'll be offered will depend on what symptoms you're having and your general health. A medicine called digoxin may be offered if other drugs are not suitable.
If you have atrial fibrillation (Afib), your heart has episodes when it beats irregularly. The condition can cause troubling symptoms and serious medical complications, including blood clots that can lead to stroke and heart failure.
While patients who have elevated stroke risks may be able to manage symptoms of AFib — such as a racing heartbeat — with other medications or medical procedures, they will still need to take blood thinners to protect against stroke.
In a long-term scenario, living with Afib can make you feel as if your heart is flip-flopping or skipping beats. Whether or not Afib shortens a person's lifespan depends on whether or not he or she can get their heart rate and anticoagulation under control. If controlled, then Afib doesn't shorten a person's lifespan.
A-fib can affect any adult at any age. While most patients develop it in their 60s, 70s, or 80s, I also see some young adults in their 20s or 30s with this condition.
If you still do not feel better, call your family doctor who may want to adjust your medicines. If you still feel the same way 24 hours later, and you have not seen or spoken to a health care provider, it is reasonable to go to the hospital. Just remember, AFib is not usually an emergency.
Researchers are reporting that light therapy known as optogenetics may be useful in treating atrial fibrillation (AFib). They say the treatment quickly restored a regular heart rhythm to rats affected by AFib.