Atrial Fibrillation Treatment, Atrial Fibrillation, Atrial Fibrillation Treatment. Treatments For Atrial Fibrillation & more. Learn More Here!
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Sep 24, 2024 · Current treatments to stop atrial fibrillation, such as cardioversion and ablation, focus on correcting the heart’s abnormal electrical activity. But atrial fibrillation is often not just an electrical problem.
- Living With Atrial Fibrillation
“Healthcare professionals cannot cure atrial fibrillation....
- Atrial Fibrillation
Learn more about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and...
- Living With Atrial Fibrillation
Treatments for atrial fibrillation include medicines to control heart rate and reduce the risk of stroke, and procedures to restore normal heart rhythm. It may be possible for you to be treated by a GP, or you may be referred to a heart specialist (a cardiologist).
“Healthcare professionals cannot cure atrial fibrillation. But they can treat it, control the symptoms, reduce the heart risks associated with it, and support people to manage atrial fibrillation themselves,” she says. Research shows that adopting a healthy lifestyle is key to reducing the impact of atrial fibrillation on your life.
- Overview
- Can atrial fibrillation ever go away permanently?
- What are the common treatments for atrial fibrillation?
- What’s the long-term outlook for someone with atrial fibrillation?
- Takeaway
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) can lead to a variety of potentially serious complications. While there isn’t a cure for AFib, treatment can successfully manage symptoms.
Atrial fibrillation, or AFib for short, is the most common type of arrhythmia. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute estimates that more than 2 million people in the United States have AFib.
In AFib, the top chambers of the heart beat fast and irregularly. This can lead to heart palpitations, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
While there’s no known cure for AFib, a variety of treatments and lifestyle changes can help you manage your symptoms.
According to the American Heart Association, AFib can sometimes go away on its own, although it’s rare. This is called spontaneous remission.
Paroxysmal AFib is a type of AFib where symptoms come and go. People with paroxysmal AFib experience symptoms that resolve on their own within 7 days. The frequency of these episodes can be different for every person.
Paroxysmal AFib can eventually progress to persistent AFib, which is where symptoms last longer than 7 days. In this type of AFib, heart rhythm typically only returns to normal after treatment.
A 2015 review estimates that 10–20% of people with paroxysmal AFib progress to persistent AFib within 1 year. It notes that the rate of progression increases as more time passes. Known risk factors for progression include things like:
•higher BMI
•higher heart rate
While there is no cure for AFib, treatment can help manage your symptoms and reduce your risk of complications. Treatment of AFib focuses on normalizing heart rhythm and rate and reducing the chance of blood clots.
Medications are often part of AFib treatment. Examples include:
•antiarrhythmic drugs to manage heart rhythm
•blood pressure medications like beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers to lower heart rate
•blood thinners to reduce the chance of blood clots
Heart-healthy lifestyle changes are also an important aspect of AFib treatment, as they can help to improve your outlook. Some lifestyle changes your doctor may recommend if you’re diagnosed with AFib include:
Generally speaking, the outlook for AFib can depend on several factors. These include things like the type of AFib you have as well as your age and overall health.
People with AFib have a higher chance of poor health outcomes compared to the general population. This includes an increased risk of death as well as things like heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease.
A 2020 study notes that years of life lost to AFib at 10 years has improved over time. However, it also points out that people with AFib still lose about 2 years of life compared to those without the condition.
Overall, getting prompt treatment for AFib is vital for improving outcomes and preventing complications. For example, a 2022 study found that early rhythm control in people with AFib lowered the chance of poor cardiovascular outcomes, although this effect was reduced in people ages 75 or older.
There’s no cure for AFib, but treatment can help manage symptoms and prevent complications. While spontaneous remission can happen, this is rare. Most people with AFib will continue to experience symptoms either occasionally or chronically.
Paroxysmal AFib, in which AFib symptoms come and go on their own, can develop into more persistent or even permanent types of AFib. This makes prompt treatment vital to improve outlook and prevent complications.
Dec 5, 2023 · In a new guideline from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, researchers propose a more holistic approach to treatment. The guideline also puts greater emphasis on...
- Gigen Mammoser
Learn more about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), one of the most common types of abnormal heart rhythm and a major cause of stroke.
Mar 8, 2024 · The type used to treat atrial fibrillation depends on your specific symptoms, overall health and whether you're having another heart surgery. Atrioventricular (AV) node ablation. Heat energy is usually applied to the heart tissue at the AV node to destroy the electrical signaling connection.
