Top 3 Treatments For Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is a condition that causes the heart to beat at an irregular rate. A normal heat rate should be around 60 to 100 beats minute, when at rest.

A person suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF) will have a higher heart beat that is often irregular. Some common symptoms for atrial fibrillation include, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea and fatigue. In some cases, people with atrial fibrillation may fail to exhibit any symptoms. While the exact cause of the condition is not yet established, medical research shows that it is mostly associated with unhealthy lifestyle choices such as excessive smoking and drinking. People with pre-existing conditions such as atherosclerosis or high blood pressure are also at a higher risk of suffering from atrial fibrillation. Statistics indicate that the condition is common in older adults of 65 years and above. While a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation may not be life threatening, it should be managed with the appropriate treatment. Below are some treatments that are effective for atrial fibrillation.

A normal functioning heart should have regular rhythm that is controlled by electrical currents on a set path within the heart. However, in the case of AF condition, the electric currents fail to follow the set path and instead become erratic throughout the atria. This causes a person to experience heart palpitations as a result of the irregular heart rhythm. In such cases, the doctor will recommend drugs that will help regulate the heart rhythm. Drugs used to regulate the heart rhythm and also prevent recurring episodes of AF are called antiarrhythmic drugs. There are two basic antiarrhythmic drugs; potassium channel blockers and sodium channel blockers. The doctor will administer treatment or drugs depending on the severity of the problem. In most cases, the treatment is administered within the hospital where the patient can be monitored closely. Medication recommended for controlling heart rhythm include propfenone, flecainide, sotalol and amiodarone.
An irregular heart rate is among the common symptoms of AF. Medical experts note that ensuring the AF patients have a regular heart rate is the first step towards a successful treatment. If goes untreated, person suffering from irregular heart rate can succumb to stroke or other cardiovascular conditions. Irregular heart rate on AF patients can be regulated and managed with the appropriate medication. In most AF cases, beta blockers are administered to control and regulate the heart rate. Some of the beta blockers recommended include Timolol, Nadolol, Propranolol, Metoprolol, Atenolol and Bisoprolol.

Calcium channel blockers are also used to slow down the heart rate in AF patients as well as reduce the strength of muscle cell contractions. Some of the medication recommended include Verapamil, Digoxin and Dilitiazem.

Studies show that AF patients are at increased risk of suffering from stroke. A stroke occurs when blood pools onto the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) causing a clot which travels onto the brain causing the stroke. As such, doctors usually focus on preventing blood clots of any form in patients suffering from AF. The best medication for preventing and treating blood clots is blood thinners. Studies indicate that AF patients on blood thinners show significant improvement as well have reduced chances of forming blood clots. Doctors will recommend different blood thinners depending on the severity of a particular patient. There are basically two blood thinners are commonly used; antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs. Anticoagulant drugs are designed to extend the time it takes for one’s blood to clot. Some commonly used anticoagulant drugs are dabigatran, edoxaban, warfarin and rivaroxaban. Anti-platelet drugs are also effective in the prevention of blood clots. The drugs are designed to interfere with clot-enhancing platelets in the blood. Commonly recommended antiplatelet drugs include aspirin, anagrelide, tirofiban, prasugrel and vorapaxar.

Doctors agree that cases of atrial fibrillation can significantly reduce if people adopt healthier lifestyles early on and also have regular medical check-ups.