Atrial fibrillation, or AFib as it is called, is a cardiovascular condition in which patients suffer from an irregular heartbeat – in many cases this can lead to further heart complications down the line, including higher chances of stroke and heart disease.
What is Atrial Fibrillation?
Doctors will often note atrial fibrillation as an arrythmia, in the vein of a quivery or fluttery heartbeat. This essentially means that the heart is not beating properly, and not on its normal rhythm. As a result of this irregular heartbeat, the blood doesn’t flow properly and in this can lead to issues like heart failure – the inability for the heart to pump blood fast enough or in order to meet the demands of the body.
While Atrial Fibrillation can occasionally present with or without symptoms, an irregular heartbeat can easily be diagnosed by listening to the heart using a stethoscope. Generally, your physician will also check all your vitals, review family history, determine other associated issues such as high blood pressure, or plaque build-up.
When treating Atrial Fibrillation your doctor will generally seek the most non-invasive means of treatment, and occasional this issue can be left untreated. However, if and when symptoms persist, or worsen there are a number of different treatment options available – highly dependent upon the symptoms presented and their severity.