Mercy Heart & Vascular Institute at Mercy General Hospital provides comprehensive treatment of atrial fibrillation, including medication and the latest minimally invasive catheter and surgical ablation therapies. Cardiologists, cardiac electrophysiologists and cardiac surgeons work together to evaluate patients with atrial fibrillation and determine the best course of treatment for your specific condition.
On August 9, 2008, Mercy hosted a special lecture about Atrial Fibrillation with Cardiac Surgeon Richard Kaplon and Electrophysiologist Gearoid O'Neill.
Here is a list of questions and answers developed from that discussion.
What is Atrial Fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation, or AF, is a common heart condition in which the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat irregularly and much too fast because they receive extra, “abnormal” electrical signals. This causes the atria to quiver (fibrillate), affecting the heart’s ability to sufficiently pump blood to the body. As a result, your brain and other organs may not be getting the full blood supply they need.
What causes AF?
It is unlikely your doctor can pin-point just one cause of your AF, but there are certain risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing AF. These include:
- A previous heart attack, congestive heart failure, leaky valves, artery disease or inflammation near the heart
- High blood pressure or diabetes
- Thyroid, lung or nerve conditions
- High levels of caffeine or alcohol use
How common is AF?
A new study by the Mayo Clinic now estimates that over five million Americans have AF. That’s more than double previous estimates of 2.2 million. The odds of developing AF increase with age – it is estimated that nearly 4% of people over age 60 and 9% of those over 80 have AF.
What are the symptoms of AF?
AF may produce an uncomfortable sensation in the chest. The decreased pumping power of the heart can also cause dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, lack of stamina and fatigue. Some patients, however, have no sensation at all that their heart is fibrillating.
Diagnosing AF
AF can be detected through an electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) which records electrical signals generated by the heart. A monitor may also be worn for one or more days to detect AF.
If you’ve been diagnosed with AF, here are some important things to discuss with your doctor or other healthcare professional:
- How serious is my AF right now?
- What are we doing to prevent my AF from getting worse and damaging my heart?
- Do I have any other heart problems or conditions that prevent me from trying one of the ablation prcedures?
- At what point, if ever, do you think I should consider one of these procedures?
- What are the risks of having one of these procedures?
- What effect do things like my age, general health and weight have on these risks?
Why treat AF?
AF is a dangerous medical condition that becomes more difficult to treat over time. It causes the heart to lose its ability to work effectively and can lead to irreversible heart damage. AF can also lead to the formation of blood clots inside the heart, which may lead to a stroke. In fact, AF patients are twice as likely to die and five times more likely to have a stroke. Medications can alleviate the symptoms of AF, but they do not cure the underlying problem.
How is AF treated?
AF therapy is aimed at reducing the patient’s risk of stroke, relieving symptoms and trying to prevent further weakening of the heart. Unfortunately, there is no single treatment strategy that has been shown to be effective for all patients with AF.
The choice of treatment depends upon the severity of your symptoms, the likelihood that you will respond to a particular treatment and consideration of the risks versus benefits of treatment. Your doctor can discuss your specific issues with you.
The three main goals of AF treatment are to reduce your stroke risk, manage or control your AF and restore a normal heart rhythm. To accomplish these goals, there are several therapies that may be used along or in combination.
Drug therapies
include blood thinners and medications used to control your heart rate during AF and restore its normal rhythm.
Ablation therapies use various surgical techniques to eliminate the main casues of AF. Each has varying degress of risk and success associated with it.
