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How Atrial Fibrillation is Diagnosed? Our heart tirelessly pumps blood through our body. No wonder that as we get older, our hearts get out of step every now and then.
How Atrial Fibrillation is Diagnosed?
With normal sinus rhythm, an adult heart beats between 60 and 100 times per minute. When the atrium shimmers, the heart stumbles. Read here how you can recognize an irregular heartbeat and what you can do yourself.
What is Atrial Fibrillation?
With this disease, the heartbeat gets out of its usual rhythm. The heart beats more irregularly, usually faster. When the atrium flutters, the heart no longer pumps all of the blood into the ventricle. Sometimes the blood circulation comes to a standstill. There may be blood clots form. If these get into the brain via the blood, they may trigger a stroke there.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common chronic cardiac arrhythmia in adults around the world. Women and men are equally affected.
What are the Symptoms of Arrhythmia?
Atrial fibrillation is associated with various symptoms. Rarely do all symptoms occur at the same time.
Typical signs are:
- Racing heart
- Palpitations
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- limited exercise capacity
- Exhaustion
- Inner unrest
- Sweat
- Dizziness
- Feeling anxious
- Anxiety
Those affected do not always interpret the various symptoms as signs of a cardiac arrhythmia. Because these are strong in some, but less pronounced in others. Sometimes some symptoms are completely absent.
How Do I Recognize an Arrhythmia?
Many people live with atrial fibrillation without knowing about it. For many sufferers, the typical signs such as palpitations or chest pain are completely absent. The paroxysmal (paroxysmal) atrial fibrillation runs namely around 70 percent without further complaints.
It is not uncommon for so-called asymptomatic atrial fibrillation to go undetected. The result: Necessary therapeutic measures such as the use of blood thinners cannot be initiated in good time. Or cardiac fibrillation is discovered purely by chance during a medical examination. Or even worse: the arrhythmias make themselves felt through serious complications such as a stroke.
What can be Done Against Cardiac Arrhythmias?
Specialists have long been calling for regular screening of all people over 70 years of age. Atrial fibrillation should be detected at an early stage using an EKG and blood pressure measurement, thereby reducing the risk of stroke.
It is best to consult a doctor if you feel that your heart is out of sync. And use the preventive examinations paid for by the health insurer for frequency control. This enables your doctor to make the correct diagnosis early on.
There are also a few things you can do yourself to treat atrial flutter:
- Eat a balanced diet.
- Exercise daily.
- Reduce extra pounds.
B in Whom do Cardiac Arrhythmias Occur Particularly Often?
Arrhythmias can affect anyone. People who suffer from the following problems are particularly affected:
- High blood pressure
- Valvular heart disease
- Coronary heart disease
- Heart failure
- Hyperthyroidism
- excessive alcohol consumption
- irregular heartbeat during menopause
How is Atrial Flutter Treated?
If you have an arrhythmia, your cardiologist will prescribe heart stabilizing tablets and blood-thinning medication. These are designed to prevent clots from forming. Sometimes that’s not enough. Then the attending physician tries to re-clock the heart with electrical impulses. You can find more information, tips and contacts on the website of the Atrial Fibrillation Competence Network.
