The heart uses electrical signals to enable synchronized, rhythmic contraction of its four chambers. Heart rhythm problems, known as arrhythmias, occur when the electrical impulses in the heart that coordinate heartbeats fail to function properly. Atrial flutter is an arrhythmia that results in an irregular heartbeat of from 250 to 400 beats per minute. One of the treatments for correcting this arrhythmia is cardiac ablation, which restores the heartbeat to a normal rhythm.
Causes of Atrial Flutter
The normal heart rate at rest is about 60 to 80 beats per minute. According to the Heart Rhythm Society, in atrial flutter, the electrical signals that synchronize the contractions of the atria, the upper chambers of the heart, become rapid and chaotic, resulting in a heartbeat of more than 300 beats per minute. These uncontrolled contractions render the atria unable to effectively force blood into the ventricles, the lower chambers, resulting in reduced blood flow to the body.
Health Risks of Atrial Flutter
According to MedlinePlus, in atrial flutter, the heart muscle does not contract normally to force open the heart valves that pass blood from the atria to the ventricles. As a result, blood can pool in the atria, increasing the risk that clots will form in the stagnant blood and travel from the heart and enter the general circulation. Circulating clots may lodge in peripheral arteries and interrupt the blood supply to vital organs such as the brain. When a clot lodges in an artery of the brain and blocks the blood supply, a stroke occurs.
Treatments for Atrial Flutter
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute says antiarrhythmic medications such as amiodarone, calcium channel blockers and beta blockers can control abnormal heart rhythms. Anticoagulants such as warfarin can reduce the risk of blood clots. By delivering a controlled electric shock to the heart, implanted defibrillators or pacemakers shock the heart to restore a normal heart rhythm. In some cases, however, the most effective treatment involves destroying the tissue causing the electrical misfiring through a procedure called cardiac ablation.
Cardiac Ablation for Treating Atrial Flutter
According to the Cleveland Clinic, cardiac ablation involves inserting catheters -- narrow, flexible wires -- into an artery at a site in the groin or neck and maneuvering the catheters into the heart. The migration from entry point to heart muscle is monitored by fluoroscopic images. When the catheter reaches the heart, electrodes at the tip of the catheter make electrical measurements and gather data to pinpoint the location of the malfunctioning electrical site. When the damaged site is confirmed, a burst of radiofrequency energy, which cauterizes the tissue, or intense cold, which freezes the tissue, destroys a small section of the defective tissue, restoring a healthy heart rhythm.
After Ablation
According to Brigham and Women's Hospital, following the ablation procedure, the catheters are removed and pressure is applied to the entry site to prevent bleeding. The patient will need to be on bed rest for several hours, during which his heart rate and rhythm are monitored. Most patients will go home the next day, although some may go home the same day. Many individuals experience temporary, intermittent heart palpitations or irregularities for a few weeks after the procedure, but these sensations are normal.
