Heart diseases are the most common cause of death in the US. One of the most common heart diseases that older people encounter is atrial fibrillation, a condition that affects the heart’s rhythm causing it to beat irregularly and rapidly. It can cause various symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations. If left untreated, it can lead to severe complications such as stroke and heart failure. While there is no cure right now, many treatment options for atrial fibrillation can be used to manage symptoms and reduce the risk of complications. Learn all atrial fibrillation management options in this article. Get a consultation with the best cardiologists in Brooklyn.
Afib management
Afib management depends on the severity of the symptoms and the underlying cause of the disease. Usually, treatment is given by medications, lifestyle changes, and procedures.
Procedures
If medicines don’t work for you or cause side effects, then a doctor may recommend other procedures to manage atrial fibrillation. It includes:
- Cardioversion:
This procedure is used to deliver an electrical shock to the heart to restore the heart rhythm to normal. They first give you medicine to make you fall asleep and put the paddles or stick patches called electrodes onto your chest or sometimes your back. Then they give a mild electrical shock to get your heart’s rhythm back to normal. Most people get their heart rhythm in just one shock. Because you’re sedated, you won’t remember being shocked and you can go back home on the same day. Your skin may get irritated a bit when the paddles touch it. For that, the doctor may recommend using a lotion to ease pain or itching.
- Cardiac ablation:
There are major 2 options for cardiac ablation, including:
Catheter ablation:
This procedure is also known as radiofrequency or pulmonary vein ablation. In this procedure, the doctor puts a thin, flexible tube into a blood vessel in your leg or neck to guide it to your heart. When it reaches the area that causes the arrhythmia, it sends out electrical signals to destroy those cells. The treated tissue can make your heartbeat normal again.
It has two main types of catheter ablation:
- Radiofrequency ablation: The doctor uses catheters (a small wire or tube) to send radiofrequency energy (similar to microwave heat) to create a circular scar around each vein or group of veins to burn cells that cause arrhythmia.
- Cryoablation: A single catheter is used with a balloon tipped with a substance that freezes the tissues that cause a scar.
Surgical ablation involves cutting into your chest:
- Maze procedure: This is typically done when you’re having open-heart surgery for another problem like a bypass or valve replacement. The surgeon makes small cuts in the upper part of your heart and then stitches it together to form the scar tissue that stops abnormal signals.
- Mini maze procedure: Most people with AFib don’t need open-heart surgery so they consider this less invasive option. The doctor makes several small cuts between your ribs and uses a camera to guide catheters for either cryoablation or radiofrequency ablation. Some hospitals offer robot-assisted surgery to make smaller cuts and allow for great precision.
- Convergent procedure: This pairs the catheter given with a mini maze procedure. The doctor uses radiofrequency ablation in the pulmonary vein, and a surgeon makes a small cut under your breastbone to use radiofrequency energy on the outside area of the heart.
- AV node ablation: You may need this procedure if:
- You don’t respond to medications.
- You can’t take medications due to side effects.
- You aren’t a suitable candidate for another procedure that cures you.
In this procedure, your doctor inserts a catheter into a vein in your groin and slides it up to the AV node, a nerve that conducts electrical impulses between the top and bottom chambers of your heart. The doctor sends radiofrequency energy through the catheter to destroy the AV node. This stops the signals from reaching your ventricle and the doctor will implant a pacemaker into the chest, which monitors your heartbeat and sends out a signal to stimulate your heart if it’s beating too slowly. This device contains a generator that holds a battery and a tiny computer. Your heart connects to a pacemaker with very thin wires.
Some people get a normal heart rhythm with ablation rather than medicine. While it is typically safe, it has some risks. Some of them are:
- Bleeding around the heart and where the catheter is inserted
- Hole in the heart
- Stroke
- Narrowing of the pulmonary vein
- Damage to the esophagus (a tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach).
Your AFib can come back in the first few months after you have ablation, so you may need to take this procedure again or take heart rhythm drugs.
There is no cure for atrial fibrillation, however, medication, procedures, and lifestyle changes can allow you to manage your symptoms properly for a long time. In some cases, AFib may resolve on its own, however, in most cases, it stays persistent and requires ongoing management. So, you need to follow the course of your treatment as prescribed to manage your condition.
If you need help with atrial fibrillation, visit our cardiology clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical help. If you need tips on how to keep your heart healthy, call us on +1(347) 384-5690. The Cardiologists at Doral Health & Wellness consistently have outstanding patient satisfaction ratings. The professionals at Heart Specialist Brooklyn are able to greatly improve their patient’s health and quality of life because of their vast training and experience. New Yorkers can get the greatest medical, surgical, and cardiovascular care at Doral Health & Wellness Brooklyn. Visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.