Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm in which the heart quivers instead of beating regularly. This occurs because the command center of the heart fails to coordinate activity with the pumping center. People may thus experience tiredness or the sensation of skipped beats. Some may experience no symptoms at all. Because the heart quivers, blood left stagnant in the heart threatens the formation of clots. Such clots may travel to the heart and brain, causing heart attacks and strokes.
Medication to Control Heart Rate
Medications such as verapamil, diltiazem, metoprolol, esmolol, propranolol or digoxin, act on the command center of the heart to control heart rate. At times, atrial fibrillation may cause an increased pulse that may damage the pumping center of the heart.
Medication to Control Heart Rhythm
Medications such as flecainide, sotalol, propafenone, ibutilide or amiodarone, act on the command center of the heart to control heart rhythm. Instead of ridding the heart of the irregular rhythm, these medications lengthen the time intervals in which they occur.
Medication to Prevent Blood Clots
Blood thinners such as warfarin or coumadin may prevent clots from forming in the heart. Most of the time, people with atrial fibrillation take such medications for life.
Cardioversion
In cases where medications do not help prevent atrial fibrillation, people may be treated with an electric shock to the heart. This electricity reboots the command center of the heart from an irregular rhythm to one that is regular.
Ablation
People with atrial fibrillation, not responsive to medications or cardioversion, may have a procedure called ablation which burns out the malfunctioning command center of the heart. A catheter is threaded from the groin to the heart. After ablation, patients are then later fitted with a pacemaker, a computerized command center for the heart.
References
- "New England Journal of Medicine"; Rodney Falk; April 2001
- "Critical Pathways in Cardiology"; Leonard Ganz; 2002
