How serious is my AFib?
By ShareMD Connect
How serious is your AFib? The short answer is, at any stage, it's serious.
Receiving an Atrial Fibrillation (commonly known as AFib or AF) diagnosis can often feel confusing and overwhelming as you or a loved one come face to face with an increased risk of complications and unexpected lifestyle changes.
However, not every AFib diagnosis requires the same treatment plan and will be dependent on your symptoms, stroke risk, and any underlying conditions. So taking the time to understand more about your diagnosis, what to expect from your healthcare team, and your treatment options can positively impact your long-term well-being.
What happens when your heart goes into AFib?
If we imagine our heart as a house, the two upper chambers of the heart, called the atria, can be thought of as the electrical part of our heart. When the atria flicker or twitch quickly (fibrillate), it causes the heart's bottom chambers to beat irregularly. When this occurs, it is called an arrhythmia, a medical term for an irregular heartbeat.
So while an average heart rate is roughly 60 to 100 beats a minute, a person in AFib could have an irregular heart rate that surges up to 200 beats per minute. And just like a faulty electrical system in a home, when AFib continues to occur, the two upper chambers of your heartbeat can interrupt the electrical flow of the heart's lower chambers.
Being in AFib alone will not cause your heart to stop, but it can cause blood to pool and create a clot that can lead to a stroke. And even at an early stage, being in AFib can cause a blood clot that can form in minutes and lead to a stroke, which could result in devastating long-term impacts such as lasting brain damage, long-term disability, and in some cases, death.
The Categories of AFib
Since AFib is progressive, it can occur in several stages. These stages are often divided into three main categories, paroxysmal AFib, persistent AFib, and long-standing persistent or permanent AFib.
Paroxysmal AFib (episodic or intermittent AFib) occurs when a person's AFib comes and goes. When dealing with AFib in this stage, episodes generally happen in short and often unpredictable bursts for less than seven days. During these "intermittent episodes," which can be triggered by factors such as stress, caffeine, alcohol, or tobacco use, the heart's normal rhythm generally returns on its own within a few hours or days.
Persistent AFib occurs when a person's AFib episodes last longer than seven consecutive days and may require medical interventions to restore the heart's normal rhythm.
Permanent AFib (also known as long-standing persistent AFib) occurs when AFib has been ongoing for more than a year.
Regardless of the stage, your AFib management will be determined by several factors, including your medical history, any underlying cause of the condition, other conditions that may impact AFib, and the presence of symptoms. Some common underlying causes of AFib include high blood pressure, heart disease, and thyroid problems. Treating any underlying causes of AFib can help improve AFib symptoms and reduce the risk of more severe complications.
Once you and your doctor have a better understanding of your AFib, your risk for complications, and any underlying causes, you can begin to develop a treatment plan.
Depending on your specific case, this plan will likely include medications, lifestyle changes, and advanced procedures that may include surgery.
Treating your AFib regardless of what stage it's in
Regardless of what stage your AFib is in or the presence of symptoms, once you have been diagnosed, your doctor will need to devise a treatment plan to manage your AFib and any underlying conditions that may be causing it.
A common treatment for managing AFib and stroke risk is anticoagulants (blood thinners). However, since this medication often comes with lifestyle changes and risks, you must talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits to determine if they are right for you.
One of the most challenging parts of navigating AFib is that you can be in AFib and not know it; an estimated 30% of people can be in AFib with no symptoms present.
While you will typically receive treatment as if you are in AFib, even without symptoms, you can take additional steps to manage it on your own.
Talking to your doctor about healthy lifestyle changes you can make, tracking any new symptoms you may experience, and the benefits of learning how to track your heart rate correctly on your own or with a wearable device, such as a fitness tracker or smartwatch, can be helpful.
The good news is when it comes to managing AFib, you have options, and when managed correctly, you can get back to living your life.