Oct 12 (Reuters) - Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia) that is becoming increasingly common. The heart's two small upper chambers quiver instead of beating effectively and blood isn't pumped completely out, so it may pool and clot. Here are some facts about AF: LINK TO STROKE - AF is one of the most common types of arrhythmia and is considered benign. However, people with AF are two to seven times more likely to suffer a stroke, which happens when a blood clot leaves the heart and becomes lodged in an artery in the brain or leading to the brain. RISK FACTORS: - The risk of developing AF increases with age. It is often associated with valvular heart disease, hypertension, coronary artery disease, heavy alcohol use, hyperthyroidism, cardiac surgery, heart failure and many other types of heart disorders. Three to five percent of people over 65 have AF. In the United States, 2.2 million Americans suffer from the condition. SYMPTOMS: - Heart palpitations, dizziness, fainting, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest tightness and pain. Or there may be no symptoms at all. TREATMENT: - It is important to treat AF because that helps prevent stroke: a. Reversing risk factors for AF, such as stopping the use of stimulant drugs and excessive alcohol consumption, controlling high blood pressure, correcting hyperthyroidism, treating diseases of the heart and the lungs that can cause AF. b. Drugs to slow down the rapid heart rate associated with AF. These treatments may include digoxin, beta blockers (atenolol, metoprolol, propranolol), calcium antagonists (verapamil, diltiazam). c. Drugs to help reduce stroke risk. Anticoagulant (warfarin) and antiplatelet (aspirin) medications thin the blood and make it less prone to clotting. Long-term use of warfarin in patients with AF and other stroke risk factors can reduce stroke by 68 percent. d. Electrical cardioversion may be used to restore normal heart rhythm. The electrical discharge "wipes out" the atrial fibrillation and allows normal heart rhythm to resume. e. Drugs like ibutilide can sometimes restore the heart's normal rhythm. These drugs are given under medical supervision, and are delivered through an IV tube into a vein, usually in the patient's arm. f. Radiofrequency ablation may be effective in some patients when medications don't work. In this procedure, thin and flexible tubes are introduced through a blood vessel and directed to the heart muscle. Then a burst of radiofrequency energy is delivered to destroy tissue that triggers abnormal electrical signals or to block abnormal electrical pathways. g. Surgery can be used to disrupt electrical pathways that generate AF. h. Atrial pacemakers can be implanted under the skin to regulate the heart rhythm. (Sources: American Heart Association, MedlinePlus)
