Download Atrial Fibrillation

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
THE MOST COMMON CARDIAC
ARRHYTHMIA.
Atrial fibrillation (also called AF or A-fib) is
an irregular heart rhythm that you might or
might not feel but means your heart is not
beating properly. It is a condition that can occur in
episodes, lasting only a few minutes to days, or
is constant.
Living with
Atrial
Fibrillation
If left untreated, atrial fibrillation will likely lead
to heart failure and/or a stroke – a third of all
strokes are caused by AF.
Doctors
of USF Health
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION:
Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac
arrhythmia.
In AF, disorganized electrical signals cause
the heart’s two upper chambers to contract
very fast and irregularly, or fibrillate. During an
episode, blood pools in the atria and isn’t pumped
completely into the heart’s two lower chambers.
As a result, the heart’s upper and lower chambers
don’t work together as they should and the body
may not get an adequate supply of blood.
AF is most often caused by other heart conditions,
such as high blood pressure and coronary heart
disease.
Millions of people have AF and the number is
rising. The prevalence increases with age and is
more common in people who already have certain
heart diseases and defects. Men are more likely
than women to have the condition. Other risk
doctors.usf.edu
Turning Science Into Health™
factors include hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid
hormone), obesity, diabetes, and lung disease.
Drinking large amounts of alcohol can raise your
risk for AF, especially binge drinking. Even modest
amounts of alcohol can trigger AF in some people.
Caffeine or stress may also trigger AF in some
people. Research suggests that people who have
sleep apnea are at greater risk for AF, and genetics
may also play a role in causing AF.
SYMPTOMS:
Atrial fibrillation may cause no noticeable
symptoms, but most often causes palpitations (like
your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, or beating
too hard or fast), fainting, chest pain, shortness of
breath, weakness, fatigue, confusion or congestive
heart failure.
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Doctors
of USF Health
The Doctors in the
Department of
Cardiovascular Sciences
help people who have atrial fibrillation
live normal, active lives.
Call to make an appointment:
(813) 974-2201
Living with
Atrial Fibrillation
Symptoms may happen rarely,
or every now and then, or they
may become ongoing and
long term.
Because there is a significant
risk for stroke and heart failure in
people with AF, you should seek
medical help as soon as even
the vaguest symptom occurs.
DIAGNOSIS:
The Doctors of USF Health are leading
this region’s top heart-care programs
and specialize in diagnosing and treating
every ailment of the heart, from the
most common conditions to the rarest
disorders.
USF physicians provide the level of
expertise and innovation found only at an
academic medical center. In fact, the USF
Cardiology team includes internationally
renowned cardiac electrophysiologists
(specialists in arrhythmias like AF) and
cardiologists who are playing major roles
in developing drugs that prevent stroke,
as well as nationally recognized experts
in heart failure, interventional cardiology,
cardiac imaging and diagnostic testing.
And, USF’s new Heart Institute
focuses on regenerative medicine for
cardiovascular disease, using gene
and stem cell therapy and personalized
medicine based on an individual patient’s
DNA. It’s the future of cardiovascular care
and it places USF at the center of some
of the most advanced research in the
world.
.
doctors.usf.edu
Turning Science Into Health™
The most effective test
for diagnosing AF is an
electrocardiogram (EKG or
ECG), a simple, non-invasive,
painless test that records your
heart’s electrical activity, how fast
it is beating and its rhythm.
Your physician will also likely
prescribe the following tests:
Stress Test: To make your heart
work hard and beat fast while
heart tests are done.
Echocardiography
(and Transesophageal
Echocardiography): To create
a moving picture of your heart.
Chest X-Ray: To show your
heart and lungs, fluid buildup in
the lungs, and signs of other AF
complications.
Blood Tests: To check your
level of thyroid hormone and
electrolyte balance.
TREATMENT:
Treatment for AF depends on
how often you have symptoms,
how severe they are, and
whether you already have heart
disease. Treatment options
include:
Medications: To control your
heart rhythm and heart rate
(corrects rhythm 50 percent of
the time).
Synchronized electrical
cardioversion: To convert AF
to a normal heart rhythm.
Ablation: One of the most
successful procedures for
correcting heart rhythm when
medicines and cardioversion
are ineffective (corrects rhythm
up to 90 percent of the time).
Surgery: To implant a
pacemaker to help maintain
a normal heart rhythm, a
mechanical heart pump, or
heart transplant.
Blood-thinning medications:
To protect you from stroke.
Medications for underlying
disorders: To treat other
disorders causing or raising
your risk of AF, such as
hyperthyroidism, high blood
pressure, high blood cholesterol.
Your doctor also may
recommend lifestyle changes,
such as following a healthy diet,
reducing salt intake (to help
lower blood pressure), quitting
smoking, and reducing stress.
Limiting or avoiding alcohol,
caffeine, and other stimulants
that may increase your heart
rate can also help reduce your
risk for AF.
Published by Doctors of USF Health. This information is intended to inform and educate and is not meant
to replace medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. 01/2013