Your heart is an incredibly dynamic organ. Capable of recognizing and responding to changes in your behavior and physical activity, a healthy heart can adjust its function to meet most demands placed upon it. As we age, damage to your heart lead to changes in its function, in some cases increasing the risk of atrial fibrillation, or A-fib. High-intensity activities such as weight lifting may be particularly hazardous if you have A-fib.
Atrial Physiology
Your heart's design makes it work with maximum efficacy. The atria are the sections of your heart responsible for filling the ventricles properly. They act as a blood waiting pool, an area for peripheral blood to return to, and promptly empty its contents into the ventricles in a controlled, coordinated fashion. Changes in the structure of your heart's atria may lead to problems with proper contraction, which may cause atrial fibrillation.
Causes
Atrial fibrillation is characterized by erratic, rapid beating in the atrial chambers of the heart. Conditions such as heart failure, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and pulmonary disease are considered major contributors to the development of atrial fibrillation, mainly due to their effects on the size of the atria. High blood pressure, for example, will typically lead to atrial dilation because of the elevated pressures. This is your body's way of relieving some of the stress from the pressure, but these changes in heart structure ultimately affect its function, inhibiting the proper flow of the electrical currents that control your heart beat.
Natural Course of Atrial Fibrillation
As your heart ages and responds to the stresses placed on it, early symptoms of A-fib include sudden and unpredictable episodes of fibrillation, or chaotic heart rates. These events are also known as paroxysmal atrial fibrillations, or PAF, and may be experienced during strenuous activities, such as weight lifting.
Complications
If atrial fibrillation is not properly controlled, there is an increased risk for medical emergencies including stroke and heart failure. The chaotic rhythm of atrial contraction may lead to the pooling of blood within these chambers, increasing the risk of clot formation. If a clot forms, also known as a thrombosis, it may travel through our heart and into a major organ system, including your brain. A stroke occurs when such a clot blocks blood flow to the brain. Heart failure, which can be thought of as your heart giving out after too much work, may also result from A-fib. The chaotic activity of the atria lead to chaotic funneling of blood into the ventricles, which sometimes have to beat hard and fast to keep up with the blood flow. Over years of experiencing this condition, a heart wears out, which could lead to serious complications down the line.
Weight Training
Intense physical activity places a burden on your heart. If you are prone to atrial fibrillation, weight training may lead to PAF. The symptoms of atrial fibrillation include an uncomfortable or irregular heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness, confusion, chest pain and weakness. If you notice these symptoms during weight training, make an appointment with your doctor. Exercise only according to her directions.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Atrial Fibrillation
- "Pathophysiology of Heart Disease"; Leonard Lilly; 2008
