Risk Factors for Atrial Fibrillation
Many people are suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF) but they are not aware of it because this kind of heart disease rarely shows symptoms. Through a life line screening though a person will be able to find out if he has AF and undergo the necessary medical procedure to prevent stroke.
AF is defined as the rapid contraction of the atria since the electrical signal that should come from the sinoatrial node, which is located in the right atrium of the heart, originated from the left pulmonary veins. This triggers fibrillation of the atria walls instead of the normal contraction and thus resulting in irregular heartbeats.
If the atria fail to function normally and don’t pump all of their blood into the heart’s ventricles, the blood will just remain there and this can result in a blood clot. Now a blood clot should not be taken lightly because this can lead to stroke especially when the clot breaks off and blood travels to the brain.
In order for a person to live normally, his heart’s atria should pump blood into the ventricles and the latter should be able to distribute this blood to the different parts of the body. Once the atria fail to supply blood to the ventricles this will result in heart failure.
Medical research shows that 5% of the elderly population over the age of 80 has AF. This heart disease requires medical treatment followed by constant monitoring since there are cases that indicate recurrence of this type of health disorder.
Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation
Most people with AF don’t show signs or symptoms. They can still manage to work and perform their usual day-to-day activities despite the abnormality of their heart.
Disregarding the unusual rhythm of your heart, however, can lead to a serious condition such as stroke. Since the heart is the source of life it is very important to pay close attention to its needs.
According to medical experts, the most common symptom of AF is palpitations or rapid and irregular heartbeats. Some people associate this with excessive coffee intake but there are medical studies that prove caffeine intake has nothing to do with AF or other kinds of arrhythmia for that matter.
Having frequent and lingering chest pains is another way to tell if you have AF.
AF is common among individuals who have had an open heart surgery but it eventually ends in just a few days. Now if you’ve never had an open heart surgery but the symptoms of AF continue you have to see a cardiologist.
Based on medical research, the common causes of AF are the following:
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Pulmonary artery occlusion
• Pneumonia
• Enlargement of heart chambers
• Coronary heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Hyperthyroidism
• Cardiomyopathy
AF can be prevented if you are aware of its risk factors so if your family’s health history reveals that you can potentially acquire the disease seek medical advice immediately. You can also undergo life line screenings as most hospitals include atrial fibrillation in their preventive screening packages.
Processing your request, Please wait....
