“Because of this risk, one of the first steps in treating these patients is to prescribe blood thinners to reduce the formation of clots,” said Finta. Stroke occurs in AF patients when blood clots form in one of the quivering atria, break off and are carried to the brain, where they block blood flow. About 15 to 20 percent of all strokes occur in people with AF, so the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of these patients is important.” “People with AF have a five times greater risk of stroke. However, it can lead to other rhythm problems, chronic fatigue, congestive heart failure and worst of all-stroke. This condition in itself isn’t life-threatening and shouldn’t lead to cardiac arrest, says Finta, who also is a partner in the West Michigan Heart cardiology group. Seventy percent of the two million Americans who have AF are between 65 and 85 years old. About 2.3 percent of people over age 40 have it and that figure increases to 10 percent in people age 70 or older. These are symptoms not to be ignored and people should contact their physician immediately if they experience any of these problems.”ĪF is common in the elderly. “People experiencing AF can feel lightheaded, tired, have shortness of breath, even sweating and chest pain. He is an electrophysiologist-a cardiologist that specializes in treating abnormal rhythms of the heart. “Most patients feel an uncomfortable flutter in their chest or an irregular pulse,” says Bohuslav Finta, MD, a cardiologist at Spectrum Health’s Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center. Some experts explain it as the top part of your heart shaking like Jell-O and beating more rapidly than the lower chambers of the heart. Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia-abnormal heart rhythm-and as the number of cases grows, so do the options for treatment.Ītrial fibrillation (AF) is an abnormal, irregular and fast heart rate with electrical signals that are improperly generated in the upper chambers of the heart (atria). While most of the focus during heart month in February is on preventing or recognizing heart attacks, a heart rhythm abnormality is growing with our aging population and becoming a major risk for stroke. Siri provides extensive consultation on irregular heartbeats and will answer any questions regarding his patients' conditions and discuss any treatments, including radiofrequency ablation which may help the patient to lead a healthy and fulfilling life.Cardiovascular Atrial Fibrillation: A Growing Heart Problem Patients More at Risk for Stroke Than Cardiac Arrest According to the American Heart Association, this treatment has a 90% success rate in treating rapid heartbeats.ĭr. The procedure can take over 4 hours, and is performed with a local anesthetic while the patient is under sedation. This should stop the problem from continuing. Once the catheter reaches the intended area for treatment, medium frequency alternating currents are released which burns out the malfunctioning tissue and creates scar tissue. The patient is also fitted with electrodes which allow Dr. This is usually performed with anesthesia to keep the patient comfortable and relaxed. This means that a catheter is fed through a vein to the heart or vein that needs to be treated. The treatment is administered intravenously.
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