An Overview Of Atrial Fibrillation And AHA CPR Classes At CPR Columbus

Atrial fibrillation or AFib is a condition that disrupts your heartbeat. A glitch in the electrical system of the ticker makes its upper chambers (the atria) beat so fast they quiver, or fibrillate, which causes the lower chambers (the ventricles) to beat out of sync. AFib can be life-threatening beacause it raises your risk of stroke and heart failure.

Usually the atria and ventricles work together so the ticker pumps blood in steady rhythm. But in atrial fibrillation, they don't. The irregular beats can cause a fast, fluttering heart rate of 100-175 beats per minute instead of the normal 60-100 beats per minute.

Warning Signs:

AFib doesn’t cause obvious symptoms for many people. But when there are, they’ll often include an uneven pulse, chest pain, a racing or pounding ticker, a feeling that your heart is fluttering, feeling short of breath, lightheaded or dizziness.

When your ticker is in AFib, your blood doesn’t move well throughout your body, and you may feel dizzy or faint, breathless, weak and fatigued.

Emergency:

AFib isn’t always a cause for alarm, but call 911 if you have severe chest pain, uneven pulse and feel faint, signs of stroke such as slurred speech or numbness. Make sure to let your doctor know whenever something doesn’t feel right.

High Risk Of Stroke:

The slow-moving blood can pool inside whenever your ticker isn’t pumping like it should, which makes it easier for clots to form. You could have a stroke if that happens and a clot travels through the bloodstream to your brain and gets stuck. Individuals with AFib are five times more likely to have one.

Causes:

The most common triggers are conditions that strain your ticker, including high blood pressure, heart failure (HF), coronary artery disease and heart attacks, problems with heart valves. AFib sometimes may be set off by thyroid disorders or serious infections like pneumonia.

Being overweight or obese, smoking, consumption of too much alcohol, using stimulants, including some illegal drugs and taking certain prescription drugs, such as albuterol- are trggers you can control.

A coronary artery bypass or other type of heart surgery can trigger AFib, so you are more likely to have other complications, too if it happens. The good thing is this type of AFib usually doesn’t last long.

Lone AFib- Lone AFib is when AFib happens without an obvious trigger, it is more common in people younger than 65. If a rapid heartbeat causes troubling symptoms, you’ll need treatment. Healthcare providers may also recommend treating it to lower the chances of stroke for people already at risk.

Diagnosis:

An electrocardiogram (EKG) is an effective way to confirm AFib as the machine detects and records the electrical activity of your ticker, so your doctor can see problems with its rhythm. Your doctor may want to learn more about your ticker if an EKG shows AFib. He may order an echocardiogram or ultrasound which can show valve damage or signs of heart failure. Your doctor may also want tests to look for conditions that could have triggered your atrial fibrillation.

How Long It Lasts:

It may come and go when you first develop AFib with your irregular heart rhythm lasting anywhere from a few seconds to a few weeks. AFib usually goes away if a thyroid problem, pneumonia, or other treatable illness is behind it once that cause is better. But for some individuals, their heart rhythm doesn't return to normal.

Living With AFib:

Many people find that AFib has no impact on their daily lives while some have to manage troubling symptoms like weakness, shortness of breath, or fainting.

Prevention:

The same healthy habits that protect against cardiovascular disease will protect you against AFib:

1.      Exercise regularly

2.      Control your blood pressure

3.      Avoid alcohol

4.      Quit smoking, and avoid secondhand smoke

5.      Eat a nutritious diet that includes fish

Sign up a CPR program today at CPR Columbus, either register online, or call on 614-321-2094.