SERVICES & PROCEDURES

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

OVERVIEW

Atrial fibrillation is when your heart beats at a rapid and irregular rate. If left untreated, you might put yourself at risk of having strokes, heart failure and other heart-related complications.

+What is atrial fibrillation?

When atrial fibrillation occurs, the heart’s two upper chambers (the atria) beat entirely out of sync with the two lower chambers (the ventricles), causing an irregular heart rhythm. Abnormalities or damage to the heart’s structure is the most common cause of atrial fibrillation. Other causes include hypertension, heart attack, viral infections, lung diseases, an overactive thyroid gland, coronary heart disease: abnormal heart valves and sick sinus syndrome.

+What symptoms are experienced?

It is not common to experience symptoms of atrial fibrillation, but those who do might experience the following:

  • Palpitations
  • Fainting 
  • Confusion
  • Reduced ability to exercise
  • Fatigue
  • Feeling lightheaded 
  • Dizziness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain

+How is it diagnosed?

Dr Naicker can perform tests on you to see if you have atrial fibrillation, should you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above. Additionally, he might conduct a physical examination as well as a review of your medical history. Some of the tests he might perform is an electrocardiogram, Holter monitor, event recorder, echocardiogram, blood test, stress test and a chest x-ray.

+What does treatment involve?

Atrial treatment is dependent on how long you’ve had atrial fibrillation and its underlying cause. In general, the treatment of atrial fibrillation aims to reset the rhythm or control the rate and to prevent blood clots; which decrease chances of having a stroke. Other treatments include beta-blockers to reduce the heart’s rate, calcium channel blockers to relax the atrial muscles, sodium or potassium channel blockers to control heart’s rhythm, digitalis glycosides which strengthen the heart contractions and blood thinners to prevent the formation of blood clots.

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