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Learn About 'Afib'
By
Joan Wright |
 Norwell
- Anyone who has experienced a sudden fright, such as a
child disappearing or a near-miss in the car, can describe
how their heart either skipped a beat or beat so rapidly it
took their breath away. But what if you have those symptoms
for no obvious reason or perhaps on a fairly regular basis?
Atrial fibrillation, also known as afib, is an irregular
heartbeat that might feel like heart palpitations,
fluttering or jumping of the heart, heart racing or a
skipped beat. It’s caused by a malfunction in the heart’s
electrical system, for reasons largely unknown, although
genetics may play a role. There are as many risk factors as
there are symptoms of afib.
Existing heart disease is one of the most obvious and
important risk factors for afib. It can also be found in
people with clogged arteries, angina and high blood
pressure. Diabetes and thyroid problems also increase the
risk, as do lung problems such as asthma, emphysema,
pulmonary blood clots and lung disease.
Afib can also occur in otherwise healthy people. Stress,
fatigue, too much caffeine or alcohol, smoking or exercising
too much can all contribute to afib in the healthy person.
Interestingly enough, while age is a risk factor, afib can
start in one’s early 50s and is now becoming more common at
younger ages, even the teens and 20s.
The most prevalent risk factor for afib is obstructive sleep
apnea, affecting half of afib patients. Many people don’t
even know they have sleep apnea. A conundrum may be
determining what came first since it is possible that afib
may cause sleep apnea. Either way, both conditions should be
diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
So, how do you know if you have afib? Maybe you notice your
heart skips every so often, or races for extended periods of
time. Perhaps you feel heart palpitations or your pulse
feels erratic or weak. Or, you may not notice any heartbeat
irregularity but rather feel dizzy, weak, tired or
breathless. The most important thing is to follow up on any
irregularity you feel.
Left undiagnosed, afib can do damage and lead to heart and
valve diseases as well as congestive heart failure and
stroke. Early diagnosis improves the chances of avoiding the
risk of developing complications.
If you’re having symptoms, speak with your doctor and ask
about tests to determine what’s causing them.
Testing is relatively painless through a simple EKG or ECG
(electrocardiogram). These tests measure and record the
heart’s electrical activity through electrodes placed on the
skin. If afib symptoms are sporadic, you might be asked to
wear a Holter Monitor for 24 to 48 hours to capture the afib
episodes. If symptoms occur during exercise, a treadmill
stress test may be used.
The diagnosis of afib itself may cause your heart to flip
flop. But when treated, afib can be kept under control. Afib
can be managed by controlling the heart rate or rhythm
through either medication or a procedure called electrical
cardioversion. Medications such as Coumadin or Warfarin may
also be prescribed to avoid blood clots and stroke.
For more information on afib, visit www. stopafib.org.
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About The Author
Joan Wright,
CMC, a certified geriatric care manager, is a member of
Norwell VNA and Hospice’s Alzheimer’s care specialty team
and geriatric care management team. She co-facilitates NVNA
and Hospice’s support groups for caregivers of early, mid
and late stage Alzheimer’s. For more information on NVNA and
Hospice and all of its programs, call (781) 659-2342 or
visit www.nvna.org.
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