Atrial fibrillation: Causes and symptoms

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular and often rapid heartbeat. It can increase your risk of stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related complications. Episodes of atrial fibrillation may come and go for a moment. Or it may be persistent and may require treatment at this time. Although it's usually not life-threatening. But this is a serious medical condition that sometimes requires urgent treatment.

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• 1. What is atrial fibrillation?
• 2. Who can get this condition?
• 3. What are the symptoms?
• 4. How is the diagnosis?
• 5. What are complications of atrial fibrillation?

1. What is atrial fibrillation?

Normally, blood from the veins returns to the atria. It will contract and push blood to the ventricles, then from the ventricles to push the blood out to the organs. When there is atrial fibrillation, this process will be affected. Because the atrial rhythm at this time is irregular, it will inefficiently eject blood into the ventricles and will affect the distribution of blood to the organs. In many cases, blood gets stuck in the atrium and easily forms blood clots. This will increase your risk of stroke .

Atrial fibrillation affects the ejection of blood from the atria to the ventricles.

2. Who can get this condition?

This condition is more common in people age 60 and older. Heart problems that increase the risk of atrial fibrillation such as:
– Heart disease caused by high blood pressure
– Heart valve diseases
– Cardiomyopathy (cardiomyopathy)
– Heart defects from birth (congenital heart disease)
– Heart failure
– Past heart surgery
Some other medical conditions also increase your risk of atrial fibrillation:
– Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- An overactive thyroid gland.
- Sleep apnea.
Medications including adenosine, digitalis, and theophylline) may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation.

3. What are the symptoms?

During atrial fibrillation, you may feel:
– Like your heart is racing in your chest (palpitations)
– Tired or weak feeling
– Dizziness or lightheadedness
– Chest pain or feeling chest is pressed.
Shortness of breath
If you have these symptoms and last for more than 24 hours, go to the hospital as soon as possible. Sometimes it doesn't cause any symptoms either. If you are at risk, talk to your doctor and get tested regularly.

Can chest pain be a symptom of atrial fibrillation?

4. How is the diagnosis?

What's important for diagnosis is the electrical activity in your heart. In addition, some tests may be done to find the cause of the disease. Tests in atrial fibrillation include:
– Blood tests that check thyroid, liver and kidney function.
An electrocardiogram (ECG) to record how the heart is beating and how long it takes for electrical signals to pass through it.
Chest X-ray to check for lung disease.
- Echocardiography.
CT or MRI to look at specific images of the heart.
Do a stress test to see how your heart works when you exercise. You can walk on a treadmill or ride a bike while wearing sensors that are connected to the electrocardiogram machine.

The electrocardiogram is used in the diagnosis.

5. What are complications of atrial fibrillation?

5.1. Stroke

When the atria are in fibrillation, blood cannot escape to the ventricles, so it gets stuck in the atria. This condition makes it easier to form blood clots. A blood clot that forms in the atria can be pumped by the heart to the brain. And when a blood clot gets stuck in an artery, it can block blood flow and even block a blood vessel and cause a stroke.

5.2. Cardiomyopathy

Atrial fibrillation causes the ventricles to beat faster to push blood out of the heart. Beating too quickly for a long time can cause the heart muscle to thicken, weaken, and make it difficult to pump enough blood to the body. It's called cardiomyopathy.

5.3. Heart failure

Atrial fibrillation prevents the heart from ejecting blood. After a while, the effort to pump blood weakens your heart, which can't pump out as much blood as your body needs. This is called heart failure . Blood can pool in your pulmonary veins and can cause blood and fluid to pool. That causes symptoms like fatigue and shortness of breath.

5.4. Tired

Your body needs a steady supply of oxygen-rich blood to function properly. When your heart can't pump enough, you feel tired. If blood is pooled in the lungs due to heart failure, this can be exhausting or even fatal if too much blood builds up in the lungs.

5.5. Memory decline

In studies, people with atrial fibrillation performed worse on memory and learning tests than those without. One possible reason for this association is that atrial fibrillation increases the risk of a stroke, which can affect the brain. Atrial fibrillation can also affect memory by preventing the brain from getting enough blood.

Atrial fibrillation is a condition that can sometimes only appear transient, but if it occurs continuously and lasts long, it will leave a lot of consequences. Identifying risk factors for this disease will help you take preventive measures and get screened more often, avoiding the unfortunate consequences caused by the disease. 

Dr. Le Hoang Ngoc Tram