Since our heart is the organ that literally keeps us alive, it's no wonder that heart problems are among the most dreaded of health issues. The condition known as atrial fibrilation causes the heart to beat irregularly, and often abnormally fast. This is marked contrast to a normal, healthily functioning heart which will beat at around sixty to one hundred beats per minute when resting, and will have a regular rhythm.
This heartbeat irregularity is its chief characteristic and it can cause several symptoms, including shortness of breath, dizziness and tiredness. The palpitations that can accompany this can take the heartbeat to over 140 beats a minute. However, some sufferers have little or nothing in the way of symptoms and can be unaware that their heart is functioning improperly.
In a normally functioning heart, its muscular walls contract and relax in a mechanism known as systole and diastole. This process forces the blood out of the heart and into the body, then draws fresh blood in again. When AF occurs, the upper chambers of the heart (known as the atria) contract quickly and randomly, preventing the organ from relaxing properly between contractions. This impacts the heart's overall efficiency and thus its capacity to supply the body with blood.
The cause of the condition is not fully understood, but it involves improper functioning if the heart's electrical signals. When these signals fire suddenly and randomly, they override the organ's inbuilt pacemaker and cause it to beat irregularly. The exact way in which this occurs varies from patient to patient.
In some patients, AF is very short-term and can come and go within a day or two. Other cases can last a week or more, while others can extend to over a year. Still other cases are more or less permanent and call for more significant intervention.
In all of its manifestations, AF is more common among men than among women. It is also more common among older people, although young people can be affected (usually as a result of having other heart conditions). It can be triggered by other health problems (such as hypothyroidism and lung cancer) as well as poor lifestyle choices such as drinking and smoking excessively.
Although not typically life-threatening, it can be a source of considerable distress and patients can benefit greatly from attention. Primary interventions include specialist drugs, electrical stimulus and in some cases, pacemaker fitment. These interventions, when successful, can provide patients with considerable relief and a welcome boost to their quality of life.
This heartbeat irregularity is its chief characteristic and it can cause several symptoms, including shortness of breath, dizziness and tiredness. The palpitations that can accompany this can take the heartbeat to over 140 beats a minute. However, some sufferers have little or nothing in the way of symptoms and can be unaware that their heart is functioning improperly.
In a normally functioning heart, its muscular walls contract and relax in a mechanism known as systole and diastole. This process forces the blood out of the heart and into the body, then draws fresh blood in again. When AF occurs, the upper chambers of the heart (known as the atria) contract quickly and randomly, preventing the organ from relaxing properly between contractions. This impacts the heart's overall efficiency and thus its capacity to supply the body with blood.
The cause of the condition is not fully understood, but it involves improper functioning if the heart's electrical signals. When these signals fire suddenly and randomly, they override the organ's inbuilt pacemaker and cause it to beat irregularly. The exact way in which this occurs varies from patient to patient.
In some patients, AF is very short-term and can come and go within a day or two. Other cases can last a week or more, while others can extend to over a year. Still other cases are more or less permanent and call for more significant intervention.
In all of its manifestations, AF is more common among men than among women. It is also more common among older people, although young people can be affected (usually as a result of having other heart conditions). It can be triggered by other health problems (such as hypothyroidism and lung cancer) as well as poor lifestyle choices such as drinking and smoking excessively.
Although not typically life-threatening, it can be a source of considerable distress and patients can benefit greatly from attention. Primary interventions include specialist drugs, electrical stimulus and in some cases, pacemaker fitment. These interventions, when successful, can provide patients with considerable relief and a welcome boost to their quality of life.
About the Author:
Neil P. Hines is passionate about providing intelligent, unbiased and highly relevant medical information for people dealing with a wide range of medical conditions, including cardiovascular diseases. If you are interested in learning more about Atrial Fibrillation he recommends that you visit his friends at St. Mary's Heart and Vascular Center.
