Atrial fibrillation is a common pathology of heart rhythm disturbance. With a disease, both atria do not run out, as occurs in a healthy mode of work, but tremble or flicker, i.e. cannot complete the full cycle of heartbeat and blood pumping. The second name of the disease is “atrial fibrillation”, which also characterizes the pathology.
General information
The heart rhythm of a healthy heart is 60-80 beats per minute, in a person with atrial fibrillation, instead of clear beats, a slowing, accelerating or stopping of the heartbeat is observed for a couple of seconds. The patient feels a panic attack, chest pain, severe cough or lump in the throat during an attack. One of the dangers of pathology lies in blood clots that form in the atria, and then are delivered by a stream of blood to the brain, causing a stroke, and sometimes death.
About 2% of the world's population suffer from the disease, men are more at risk of getting atrial fibrillation. According to the WHO, until recently, the disease was diagnosed in people over 40 years old, today the age framework has expanded due to the younger generation.
Causes
The causes of a malfunction in the heart rhythm are a violation of contractions of the myocardial fibers. Muscle fibers do not contract at the same time, but randomly, not by pushing, but by small-frequency trembling, from which all the blood entering the atria does not penetrate the ventricles. Experts believe that the sinus node, which does not ensure the stable operation of all myocardial cells, becomes the fault of this phenomenon.
Doctors identified two main blocks of causes of atrial fibrillation. The first includes the heart:
- Hypertonic disease. Increased blood pressure causes rapid wear of the heart, it weakens, the functionality of the sinus center and conductive bundles is impaired.
- Pathologies of the cardiac arteries - insufficient supply of blood and oxygen also causes dysfunction.
- Valvular heart defects cause an increase in atrial volumes, wall thickness, etc., which also causes weakening of the heart muscle.
- Congenital heart pathologies provoke a spectrum of diseases, one of which may be atrial fibrillation.
- Diseases of the heart muscle - pericarditis, neoplasms, myocarditis, heart failure, etc. Congenital and acquired pathologies significantly weaken the heart, cause a number of dysfunctions.
- Postoperative complications - conductive fibers and the sinus center are often damaged, scar tissue grows, which does not perform transmitting functions.
The second group of causes of atrial fibrillation:
- Bad habits - alcoholism, smoking, drug addiction damage the nervous system, negatively affect the heart rhythm, and cause a whole range of heart diseases.
- Stress - affects the central nervous system and the central nervous system, causes adrenaline rush, which weakens the heart muscle.
- Excessive physical activity - during intense sports or professional physical activity, a greater flow of blood enters the heart, the conducting myocardial system cannot always coordinate the rhythm, which causes arrhythmia.
- Tonic drinks - coffee and strong tea speed up the myocardium.
- Acceptance of a range of medications (diuretics, adrenaline, etc.) disrupt the internal balance of trace elements, on which the conductivity of the heart fibers depends.
- An increase in body temperature, viral diseases - an increase in body temperature by just one division already causes an increase in heart rate per minute (by 10 beats). Viral intoxication strikes the nervous system. The whole range of factors weaken the rhythm of the heart.
- Hyperthyroidism (enlarged thyroid gland) is characterized by the release of an additional amount of hormones into the blood, which also causes an increase in heartbeat and disrupts the rhythm.
In addition to the above reasons, there are risk groups, which include people who follow strict diets, suffer from chronic lung pathologies, diabetes, night apnea, etc. A wide range of factors can cause cardiac atrial fibrillation. Symptoms are pronounced only in some patients, the rest may not even be aware of the problem.
Forms of pathology
Modern medicine distinguishes more than ten types of arrhythmias. Each of them belongs to one of three groups:
- With a rapid heartbeat (tachycardia).
- With a slowdown in heartbeat (bradycardia).
- Irregular heart rhythm (irregular contractions).
Atrial fibrillation also has the form of the disease, depending on the course of the pathology:
- Paroxysmal - the duration of the attack is limited to 24 hours, sometimes lasts for 7 days.
- Persistent - signs persist for more than a week.
- Chronic - it is almost impossible to stop the condition and bring the heart rate back to normal using accessible methods.
Common symptoms
In a patient with atrial fibrillation, the heart makes a large number of contractions, while the overall rhythm will be disturbed. For example, atria per minute can make up to 600 strokes, and ventricles of the heart - about 180 contractions. At a certain moment, unable to withstand such a pace, the heart goes astray and freezes, taking a break.
The second form of dysfunction - slowing of the heartbeat - is caused by the fact that not all nerve impulses pass from the atria to the ventricles, and it seems that the heart beats more slowly.
Causes for atrial fibrillation are well known. Symptoms of the pathology are as follows:
- Pain in the heart. During an attack, the heart works in an enhanced rhythm, which causes overwork, to which the nerve endings of the myocardium react. At this point, the patient is in pain. Similar sensations are brought by insufficient supply of blood to the heart due to a malfunction in the functionality of the coronary arteries.
- Rapid weakness is provoked by a lack of blood supply to the brain, dysfunction of the nervous system.
- Shortness of breath - changes in the respiratory center cause an increased heartbeat.
- Fainting, dizziness - occur as a result of a lack of oxygen in the brain. Despite the increased heart rate, the amount of blood passing through the heart is small, and it can not deliver the right amount of oxygen for the normal functioning of the brain.
- Symptoms of atrial fibrillation include an increased amount of urine. This is caused by activation of the nervous system, which, acting on the kidneys, provokes the release of a large amount of fluid, devoid of smell and color.
Symptoms in women
Symptoms of atrial fibrillation in women, with any form of the pathology, are as follows:
- Weakness.
- Fatigue, even after a long rest, sleep.
- Fast fatiguability.
- Periodic dizziness, headaches.
- Dyspnea. It occurs not only during physical exertion, but also at rest.
- Fainting conditions.
- Darkening in the eyes.
- Pain in the chest or heart.
- Swelling, chills, respiratory failure.
- Change in body temperature (increase / decrease).
- Pallor, increased sweating.
- Insomnia, problems with stool.
According to the observations of doctors, women who are diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, the symptoms are easier to tolerate. In this regard, it is rarely possible to diagnose the disease in the early stages. Most women notice changes in heart function after 50 years.
Features of arrhythmia in men
Symptoms of atrial cardiac arrhythmias in men are generally the same as in women, but it is noted that heart attacks as a result of pathology in men are more common. It is also noted that after 40 years, the risk of getting sick increases several times.
Experts note that the main causes of the disease in men is an unhealthy lifestyle:
- Bad habits.
- Snacks.
- Addiction to fatty and fried foods.
- Violation of the regime of work and rest.
Also, one of the risk factors is a sharp transition from physical activity to a measured lifestyle, most often passive. A sharp change in the rate of load on the heart causes disturbances in its work.
First aid
In patients, an attack of atrial fibrillation may unexpectedly occur. Symptoms can be any - loss of consciousness, severe weakness or pain in the heart. In a critical situation, it is extremely important to call a doctor, and provide necessary assistance before his arrival.
If symptoms of atrial fibrillation are clearly manifested, what should be done before the doctor arrives:
- Provide bed rest and rest. To reduce the heartbeat, raise the upper part of the body by placing pillows under the back.
- Normalize the rhythm of the heart, provoking a gag reflex (tickle the larynx).
- If the patient has a panic attack - morally support, calm.
- Provide an influx of fresh air (depending on weather conditions, open a window, window or take the patient out).
- Give medication sedatives (tincture of motherwort or valerian, "Valocardinum, etc.)
- Engage in breathing exercises with the patient - deep, slow breaths and exhalations with holding the breath. It is necessary to completely fill the entire lung volume with air and try to completely exhale all the air. Complete a full cycle several times.
- Soothing massage - press the eyelids with your fingers and quickly release. Repeat several times, making the interval between pressures (3 sec).
Such actions will weaken or remove the symptoms of atrial fibrillation. A full range of treatment is carried out according to the doctor's recommendations. With the disease, they turn to a specialized specialist - a cardiologist.
Diagnostics
Based on a series of tests, the diagnosis is “atrial cardiac arrhythmia”. Symptoms indicate a disease to the doctor, but evidence is needed to confirm suspicions for complete certainty.
Diagnostic Methods:
- Survey - it turns out whether there is a hereditary predisposition, what is your state of health at the moment, etc.
- Inspection - fixing the pulse rate, temperature, patient appearance, listening to the heart through a phonendoscope, etc.
- ECG - usually an electrocardiogram is enough to make a diagnosis, on which characteristic changes in the work of the heart muscle are visually noted. In case there is any doubt, additional steps are assigned.
- Daily ECG monitoring - helps to determine at what point a failure in the heart rhythm occurs, which serves as its cause. Monitoring lasts at least 2 days, according to indications, the diagnosis is extended for a period determined by the doctor.
- Echocardiography - allows you to examine the heart muscle.
- Ultrasound - opens up the ability to determine the speed and frequency of contractions of the heart, ventricles, atria. Myocardial wall thickness, dysfunction or valve structure, and arterial pathology are assessed. Visualize malformations of the myocardium, neoplasms, aneurysms, blood clots, etc.
- MRI is the most accurate visual examination of the heart and blood vessels, the method significantly expands the picture obtained by scanning ultrasound. On the monitor, inflammatory processes, congenital heart pathologies, atherosclerosis (even in the initial stage), tumors, vascular diseases are determined, examination of the heart muscle in several projections, sections is allowed, etc.
- Tests - the patient is engaged in a treadmill (exercise bike), an ECG is taken during exercise. The method makes it possible to determine the reactivity of the cardiovascular system to loads, the rate of rhythm recovery after exertion, the degree of patient endurance, and heart rhythm disturbances.
- Studies of thyroid hormones - hyperthyroidism is the cause of atrial fibrillation. Symptoms for this reason pathology again appear after a full course of therapy.
- In rare cases, radiography is prescribed to determine the size of the heart chambers, heart failure, diseases of the lungs and blood vessels of the respiratory system.
An accurate and complete analysis will ensure the completeness of the diagnosis and give the doctor the opportunity to choose the appropriate treatment. Atrial fibrillation of the heart has the most diverse symptoms, the specialist’s goal is to find out and stop them.
Drug treatment
The crisis of atrial fibrillation can last only a few seconds, but if it drags on for more than a day, then professional help from a cardiologist is needed. The multiple causes of atrial fibrillation are known, the symptoms allow you to identify the disease at the very beginning of the crisis.
Drug treatment is carried out by the following groups of drugs:
- Beta-blockers ("Atenolol", "Anaprilin", "Obzidan", etc.). The drugs eliminate the effects of norepinephrine, adrenaline, balance the state of the central nervous system, lower blood pressure, normalize heart rate, etc.
- Antiarrhythmic drugs ("Quinidine", "Novokainamid", "Kordaron", etc.) Eliminate the activity of the myocardial areas causing atrial flutter, relax vessels, lead to normal frequency of contractions.
- Cardiac glycosides (Digoxin, Celanide). They slow down and neutralize the impulses of the conducting system, arrange the frequency of contractions of the heart, and extend the pauses between beats.
- Anticoagulants, antiplatelet agents (Warfarin, Acetylsalicylic acid). They dilute blood, reduce coagulation, and prevent blood clots.
The doctor selects a list of drugs, their dosage and regimen, based on the diagnostic data and symptoms of atrial fibrillation. The treatment is personified.
Traditional medicine methods
In alternative medicine, there are enough methods to relieve symptoms of atrial fibrillation. Treatment with folk remedies strengthens the nervous system, immunity, general condition and normalizes the heart rhythm.
Some useful recipes:
- Berries of hawthorn to eliminate heart palpitations - 10 pcs. berries pour 1 liter of water and boil for 15 minutes. Such a weak broth (decoction) is drunk 100 ml twice a day.
- A decoction of hawthorn berries - 30 pieces of ripe fruit pour 250 ml of boiling water and warm in a water bath for ten minutes. Strain the resulting composition, bring boiled water to a volume of 250 ml. Drink in small portions throughout the day.
- Motherwort - take alcoholic infusion according to the doctor’s instructions. Tea - on a glass of boiling water lay one tablespoon of dry grass and insist. The drink is ready in 15 minutes. Drink during the day (3-4 times).
- Mix - alcohol tinctures of motherwort, hawthorn and valerian 1 bottle each. Mix all preparations in one glass container. Take one teaspoon up to 4 times a day
- Adonis spring (Campion). A tablespoon of dried stems is laid in a glass of boiling water. Closing the lid tightly, insist 30 minutes. Take 1 tsp. (three times a day). Tea is not stored, prepared for only one day. The course is no more than 3 months.
Heart diseases require a professional approach in choosing funds. All folk recipes will show effectiveness only with careful adherence to the recipe, the regimen of admission. The first improvements will appear no earlier than after 2 weeks. The full course is at least 1 year, but it will be more efficient to extend it for 2 years. In this case, symptoms of atrial fibrillation will be much less likely to bother. Treatment with alternative methods is sometimes more productive than periodically turning to drug therapy.
Surgery and more
With some indications and complications of atrial fibrillation, drug therapy does not bring results and in such cases surgical intervention is recommended.
Types of operations:
- Catheter ablation. It is carried out by radio-frequency, laser or chemical methods. The groups of atrial cells that provoke flickering and flutter are destroyed.
- Implantation of a pacemaker for artificial restoration of heart rate. Modern stimulants do not bring the patient significant complications, are equipped with a memory, which contains data on the patient's condition. But some restrictions are imposed - you can’t be near the switched on microwave oven, powerful sources of magnetic fields, it is recommended that you do not keep your mobile phone close to the area of the heart. It will also be necessary to visit a cardiologist 1-2 times a year.
Patients with atrial fibrillation are recommended a diet rich in vitamins and plant fibers. Dried apricots, raisins, nuts, lemons, dairy products are especially useful. Chocolate, coffee, alcohol, fatty meat and fish are excluded from the diet. Physical activity and sports are strictly dosed, before starting training, consultation with a treating cardiologist is required.