Health Topics for Cardiovascular Health

UI Heart and Vascular Care

Cardiovascular Diseases

Pay Attention to Heart Rhythm: Diagnosing Disorder Early Can Save Your Life

A disorder called atrial fibrillation affects more than 2.2 million Americans, with 160,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Yet, the condition can go untreated, which can have fatal consequences.

Atrial fibrillation is an abnormality of the heart rhythm. Normally, the atria, or upper chambers of the heart, contract in a steady rhythm and the electrical activity proceeds into the bottom chambers in a regular fashion. This produces a regular heartbeat. When atrial fibrillation is present, the atria contract very rapidly and erratically. The pulse becomes irregular and is usually rapid. This may reduce the volume of blood pumped by the heart. Atrial fibrillation often is associated with high blood pressure, heart disease and sometimes thyroid disorders.

The common symptoms of atrial fibrillation include:

• Heart palpitations that feel like a sudden pounding, fluttering or racing sensation in the chest.
• Weakness and shortness of breath.
• Dizziness and lightheadedness, as though you are going to faint. (If this happens, sit or lie down until the feeling passes.)
• Chest pain, discomfort, pressure or tightness.

In many cases, people with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms at all. If the disease is untreated, atrial fibrillation can lead to serious consequences such as a stroke or congestive heart failure. A serious risk of atrial fibrillation is the development of a stroke. Because the atria are not beating in an organized fashion, small blood clots can form in the heart and pass through the bloodstream to the brain and cause a stroke. To decrease this risk, people with atrial fibrillation are routinely placed on blood thinners.

For some patients, the heart's normal rhythm may be restored with electrical stimulation or with medication. A variety of medications are used to control the heart rhythm in atrial fibrillation. For some patients, surgery or a procedure called catheter ablation is necessary to re-establish normal heart rhythm.

The key to treating atrial fibrillation is first recognizing that a person has the disorder. An EKG test can diagnose atrial fibrillation. Sometimes this rhythm will be intermittent; the physician may elect to try to diagnose it by having the person wear a monitor for a day, or even up to a month.

It is crucially important that people with symptoms be evaluated because of the serious risk of stroke. This is truly a case where ignorance, or ignoring the warning signs, is definitely not bliss, but could most certainly be hazardous to your health.

Last Reviewed 2005

Source: Theresa Brennan, M.D.
University of Iowa
Department of Internal Medicine

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.