When the heart is completely out of step, it is called in the context of cardiac arrhythmias often of atrial fibrillation. The human heart beats about 60 to 100 times per minute. In this way, it pumps blood continuously through the body. It requires a perfectly coordinated actions of the two larger and two smaller chambers of the heart atria. Between the atria and the ventricles are called atrioventricular (AV short flaps) that prevent such a valve, the blood flows back into the atria. to pull together the atria, the blood is transported into the chambers. Once these are completely full, they contract and pump blood also in the circulation. For this coordinated pumping action takes place, it is necessary that specialized cells of the so-called sinus node transmit electrical impulses to the atria and from there to the ventricles (AV node).
Atrial fibrillation is most common heart rhythm disorder
Sometimes the heart gets a little out of rhythm. That’s not bad. But it can also come from all over the rhythm like the rare, life-threatening ventricular fibrillation and frequent atrial fibrillation is the case. Approximately 1 million – especially older – patients in Germany have atrial fibrillation. In her heart loses the sinus node outgoing wave of excitation to hold. The atria then pull together any more, but batting only unrhythmical per up to 600 times per minute. Atrial fibrillation has the result that the heart chambers do not fill properly, and the performance of the heart is reduced. There are different types of atrial fibrillation: from paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is when it occurs paroxysmal disorders and disappear for hours or days by itself. Listening to it is not by itself and must be handled, it is known as persistent atrial fibrillation. In the extreme case, a permanent atrial fibrillation, which is not to get consistent measures in the control because electrical and mechanical remodeling of the atria has changed significantly. The problem is that the atrial fibrillation itself increased, as the atrial cells change so that they are getting faster electrically activated. This is in comparison to atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, less frequent, by contrast, when the atria contract is 250 to 300 times per minute. Without drug treatment leads to atrial flutter palpitations frequently.
Atrial Fibrillation: Symptoms and Causes
As the heart for a short time from the clock, it will not notice most of the patients. Does the fibrillation persists, the following symptoms in atrial fibrillation:
* Fully irregular pulse
* Shortness of breath
* Anxiety
* Weakness
* Shortness of breath
* Fluid retention
Possible causes of atrial fibrillation include primary diseases of the heart such as the narrowing of the coronary arteries and heart muscle disease. Continue to increase heart surgery, a heart attack, pulmonary embolism, inflammation of the heart muscle tissue, chronic pulmonary disease, chronic sleep apnea syndrome, and an overactive thyroid, the risk for heart rhythm disorders such as atrial fibrillation. High blood pressure, abnormally changed heart valves (particularly the mitral valve), congenital heart defects, excessive nicotine and increasing age, other risk factors. Atrial fibrillation can also be triggered by acute excessive alcohol consumption (holiday-heart-syndrome) and emotional stress. However, there are also cases in which no cause can be determined in atrial fibrillation.
Diagnosis and treatment of atrial fibrillation
Early diagnosis and rapid treatment are important launched at the first signs of atrial fibrillation. For diagnosis, the doctor touched his pulse and listens to the patient with a stethoscope. By an electrocardiogram (ECG) he can confirm the diagnosis. The suitable medication in the context of therapy include slowing the heart rate beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers (eg Veraopamil) and the rarely used cardiac glycosides (eg digitoxin). In cases of persistent atrial fibrillation, the heart rhythm to normal only by electric shock (electrical cardioversion). If the above treatment methods are inadequate, can be a catheter ablation. In an ablation by cardiac catheter, the junction points of the pulmonary veins are obliterated in the atria. This gives the normal rhythm then will be used for the following so-called anti-arrhythmic treatment. Atrial fibrillation can be life threatening because the embolic risk is increased due to changes in blood flow conditions. Auricles small outgrowths called in the atria, the blood flows very slowly, so that there are more blood clots. The risk of stroke is increased by five times.
Atrial fibrillation guidelines 2010
The latest guidelines (2010) for atrial fibrillation require a more consistent anticoagulant therapy than has been the case. Analysis of data collected by the Competence Network on Atrial Fibrillation (AFNET) in recent years show that only about half of patients with high or very high risk of stroke in ambulatory care and less specialized regional hospitals were treated guidelines meet with anticoagulant drugs. In university hospitals and in resident cardiologists in specialized centers or, at least 70 percent of patients with atrial fibrillation were treated so adequately. Traditional anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin and phenprocoumon require a constant dose adjustment and laboratory controls. New drugs, which include the beginning of 2011 approved dabigatran, improve stroke prevention and for patients with atrial fibrillation have not the disadvantages.