Your heart pumps blood to the rest of your body, and it involves your atria and ventricles, making the pumping efficient. However, where there is no impulse to your heart, it may begin to develop a chaotic rhythm in the atria and cause a fast, irregular heartbeat. The condition, atrial fibrillation Frisco, can happen in three forms. Untreated atrial fibrillation can increase your risk for serious complications like a life-threatening stroke. The following discussion will highlight key points about atrial fibrillation to help you understand this condition.
Atrial Fibrillation Has Three Main Types
You develop atrial fibrillation when your heart performs an irregular heart rhythm in your heart’s atria. Also known as A-fib, the condition interrupts your normal cycle of electric impulses in the heart, leading to a chaotic and fast heart rhythm. You will also have poor blood movement from your atria to your ventricles. The three types of A-fib include paroxysmal A-fib, which may last for a few days and then resolve without treatment. Second is persistent A-fib which may persist for more than seven days and requires medical treatment. The last type is long-standing persistent A-fib, which lasts more than a year and may take a lot to treat. Untreated A-fib may lead to serious medical complications, including a stroke.
You May or May Not Show Symptoms with Atrial Fibrillation
Your presence of symptoms will depend on how fast your ventricles are beating. You may experience symptoms if your ventricles beat faster than normal, causing extreme fatigue, irregular heartbeat, and heart palpitations. You will also experience a feeling of butterflies in your chest, dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, and chest pain.
You Can Check For Atrial Fibrillation at Home
Your doctor may guide you on how to check for A-fib at home. You will check your pulse because a weak or erratic pulse may indicate A-fib. However, there may not be any pulse changes if your atrial fibrillation is still in its early stages. You can also experience fatigue and shortness of breath. However, you should not replace home checks with a medical consultation because your doctor can tell better if you have A-fib.
Atrial Fibrillation Can Present Serious Medical Complications
You may experience serious complications with A-fib, and therefore you will require immediate treatment. Serious complications will cause blood in your stool and urine, heart attack and stroke symptoms, and signs of cardiac arrest.
There Are Treatments for Atrial Fibrillation
You can find treatments for A-fib to help control your symptoms. Treatment will aim to control your heart rate, help you regain a normal rhythm, and lower your risk of developing a stroke. Your doctor will recommend medications to control ventricular rate and heart rhythm and blood thinners to reduce the risk of stroke. While you may experience side effects with medications, the benefits outweigh the side effects.
Your heart has an electrical system that helps it to work effectively to pump blood throughout your body. But when you develop atrial fibrillation, your heart develops chaotic impulses, leading to a rapid and irregular heartbeat. You may also have poor movement of blood to your lower heart chambers. If you begin showing concerning symptoms like extreme fatigue, heart palpitations, irregular heartbeat, and a feeling of butterflies in your chest, talk to your doctor. You will learn about the treatments for atrial fibrillation, including medications and nonsurgical treatment choices.