Since our heart is the organ that literally keeps us alive, it's no wonder that heart problems are among the most dreaded of health issues. The condition known as atrial fibrilation causes the heart to beat irregularly, and often abnormally fast. This is marked contrast to a normal, healthily functioning heart which will beat at around sixty to one hundred beats per minute when resting, and will have a regular rhythm.
This irregularity is the main symptom of the condition and can lead to a number of problems including tiredness, shortness of breath and dizziness. These symptoms can be exacerbated by an abnormally fast heartbeat (palpitations), which can reach upwards of one-hundred and forty beats per minute. Some people however have no symptoms and remain unaware that they have the condition.
The muscular walls of a normally operating heart contract and relax in an even, rhythmic process (known as systole and diastole). Blood is forced from the heart and out into the body, then drawn in again to repeat the process. In AF, the atria of the heart (its upper chambers) contract too suddenly and rapidly, interfering with the heart's operation and its capacity to provide the body with blood efficiently.
The cause of the condition is not fully understood, but it involves improper functioning if the heart's electrical signals. When these signals fire suddenly and randomly, they override the organ's inbuilt pacemaker and cause it to beat irregularly. The exact way in which this occurs varies from patient to patient.
In some patients, AF is very short-term and can come and go within a day or two. Other cases can last a week or more, while others can extend to over a year. Still other cases are more or less permanent and call for more significant intervention.
In all of its manifestations, AF is more common among men than among women. It is also more common among older people, although young people can be affected (usually as a result of having other heart conditions). It can be triggered by other health problems (such as hypothyroidism and lung cancer) as well as poor lifestyle choices such as drinking and smoking excessively.
Although not typically life-threatening, it can be a source of considerable distress and patients can benefit greatly from attention. Primary interventions include specialist drugs, electrical stimulus and in some cases, pacemaker fitment. These interventions, when successful, can provide patients with considerable relief and a welcome boost to their quality of life.
This irregularity is the main symptom of the condition and can lead to a number of problems including tiredness, shortness of breath and dizziness. These symptoms can be exacerbated by an abnormally fast heartbeat (palpitations), which can reach upwards of one-hundred and forty beats per minute. Some people however have no symptoms and remain unaware that they have the condition.
The muscular walls of a normally operating heart contract and relax in an even, rhythmic process (known as systole and diastole). Blood is forced from the heart and out into the body, then drawn in again to repeat the process. In AF, the atria of the heart (its upper chambers) contract too suddenly and rapidly, interfering with the heart's operation and its capacity to provide the body with blood efficiently.
The cause of the condition is not fully understood, but it involves improper functioning if the heart's electrical signals. When these signals fire suddenly and randomly, they override the organ's inbuilt pacemaker and cause it to beat irregularly. The exact way in which this occurs varies from patient to patient.
In some patients, AF is very short-term and can come and go within a day or two. Other cases can last a week or more, while others can extend to over a year. Still other cases are more or less permanent and call for more significant intervention.
In all of its manifestations, AF is more common among men than among women. It is also more common among older people, although young people can be affected (usually as a result of having other heart conditions). It can be triggered by other health problems (such as hypothyroidism and lung cancer) as well as poor lifestyle choices such as drinking and smoking excessively.
Although not typically life-threatening, it can be a source of considerable distress and patients can benefit greatly from attention. Primary interventions include specialist drugs, electrical stimulus and in some cases, pacemaker fitment. These interventions, when successful, can provide patients with considerable relief and a welcome boost to their quality of life.
About the Author:
Neil P. Hines is passionate about providing intelligent, unbiased and highly relevant medical information for people dealing with a wide range of medical conditions, including cardiovascular diseases. If you are interested in learning more about The Risk Factors of A-fib he recommends that you visit his friends at St. Mary's Heart and Vascular Center.
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