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An arrhythmia is a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heart and occurs when the heart's
electrical signals are abnormal.
In a healthy heart, the rate in rhythm is controlled by electrical signals that cause
the heart to contract or squeeze in a coordinated manner.
This synchronized heartbeat continuously circulates blood through the lungs and out to the rest
of the body to deliver vital oxygen.
Atrial fibrillation, also called AFib, is one of the most common types of arrhythmia
and causes the heart to have an irregular rhythm and often beat rapidly.
Atrial fibrillation can be physically exhausting, scary, and disabling and raises the risk of
heart failure, dementia, and stroke.
But with proper treatment these risks can be decreased and people with AFib can live
healthy and active lives.
When the heart beats rapidly from AFib, the heart's ventricles can become overworked,
eventually leading to heart failure in some patients.
Additionally while the heart beats irregularly while in AFib, it doesn't pump out all the
blood and affects the way blood flows through the heart sometimes allowing clots to form.
Those clots can travel from the heart to the brain and block vital blood flow and oxygen
resulting in a stroke that can be disabling or deadly.
This kind of stroke is called an ischemic stroke.
AFib related strokes are more deadly and disabling than other types of strokes and people that
survive AFib-related strokes often experience paralysis, loss of speech, impaired brain
function, and other disability.
But a great many of these strokes can be prevented.
In addition to treatment to restore and maintain a normal heart rate and rhythm, your healthcare
professional may prescribe a blood thinner or anticoagulant that reduces your risk of
stroke from clotting.
There are a number of oral anticoagulants available that work in different ways with
different benefits and risks, allowing you and your health care professional to choose
the right medication for you.
Despite their effectiveness, as many as a half of all AFib patients who are anticoagulant
eligible are not taking an anticoagulant.
Because anticoagulants affect the blood's ability to clot, they also affect normal clotting,
making users more vulnerable to bleeding and more likely to notice things like easy bruising
or small cuts that take longer to stop bleeding.
Most bleeds while on anticoagulants are manageable and treatable.
In some rare cases, bleeding is serious and happens in the brain.
If the bleed occurs in the brain it causes a type of stroke called an intracranial hemorrhage.
These strokes are usually disabling or deadly but are different from ischemic strokes that
are caused by clots.
However fatal bleeding while on an anticoagulant is rare.
Treatment decisions about stroke risk reduction require a balancing of the risks and benefits
by patients and their health care professionals.
For most AFib patients the benefit of preventing AFib caused strokes outweighs the increased
risk of bleeding from the medication.
This is true even for most older adults who may be frail or have an increased risk of
falling.
Studies have shown that most falls--even those that result in broken bones and other complications--do
not result in intracranial hemorrhage or brain bleeds.
In most cases frailty, age, and fall risk should not be barriers to anticoagulant treatment.
Part of the decision making should be other risk factors for stroke including congestive
heart failure, high blood pressure, older age, prior stroke or TIA, vascular disease,
and female gender.
If you can't take an anticoagulant, your health care professional may recommend a procedure
to close a sack or pouch--the left atrial appendage--where most afib related clots form.
This left atrial appendage occlusion or closure can be done with a number of devices and vary
as to whether they are placed using catheters or with surgery.
If you take an anticoagulant to reduce your stroke risk your healthcare professional should
discuss the best medication for you.
They should consider things that could impact your ability to take certain medications like
memory loss, access to clinics for monitoring, cost, and diet.
Never skip a dose or stop taking your anticoagulant without talking with your health care professional
because it could increase your risk of stroke.
Even though you may not feel differently, the medication is working.
Remember that anticoagulants decrease your stroke risk, but you still need to take any
medications prescribed for rate and rhythm control.
Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of the signs of stroke--face: sudden drooping
or weakness on one side of the face, arm: sudden weakness or numbness of one or both
arms, speech: difficult slurred or garbled speech, time: the faster the treatment the
better the outcome so seek immediate treatment and call 9-1-1.
Remember being diagnosed with AFib can be frightening and overwhelming but you are not
alone and with proper treatment you can live a healthy and active life.
To learn more about the causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment of AFib watch Living
with Atrial Fibrillation on YouTube and visit www.agingresearch.org/AFib.
Brought to you by the Alliance for Aging Research [Music]
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