Atrial Fibrillation
MetroSouth Medical Center has cardiologists that specialize in diagnosing and treating irregular heart rhythms. These physicians are called electrophysiologists. These heart rhythm specialists collaborate closely with other members of the heart disease treatment team at MetroSouth Medical Center.
Atrial Fibrillation is the most common type of irregular heart rhythm. It is important to diagnose and treat patients with atrial fibrillation (afib), as this population is at a significantly higher risk fro stroke. Specifically atrial fibrillation is a condition in which the heart’s four chambers beat out of rhythm. The two lower heart chambers (ventricles) beat irregularly due to abnormal electrical signals in the upper chambers (atria). This irregular beating of the heart can lead to rapid heart beat, poor blood flow to the body, fatigue, stroke, heart palpitations and weakness.
Symptoms:
Some patients are unaware they have Atrial Fibrillation and only discover it during a doctor’s physical exam. Others experience symptoms such as:
- Confusion
- Dizziness, light-headedness
- Fainting
- Fatigue
- Pulse that feels rapid, racing, pounding, fluttering, or too slow
- Sensation of feeling the heart beat (palpitations)
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath while lying down
- Decreased blood pressure
Treatments
- Medicines: anti-arrhythmics to help restore normal rhythm, oral medications or blood-thinning medication such as warfarin (Coumadin)
- Electrical cardioversion: This is a brief procedure performed under anesthesia in which an electrical shock is delivered to the heart to restore a regular rhythm.
- Radiofrequency ablation: This procedure directs radiofrequency energy at hot spots that cause atrial fibrillation
- Surgical maze procedure: Performed during open-heart surgery, the surgeon creates precise incisions in the heart’s upper chambers to create scar tissue. Scar tissue doesn’t carry electricity so the scar tissue interferes with stray electrical impulses that cause atrial fibrillation.
MetroSouth Medical Center electrophysiologists are available to see patients with atrial fibrillation. To schedule an appointment call the Physician Referral Line at 708-489-7925.