What is Atrial Fibrillation? | Curofone

Atrial Fibrillation, also known as AFib, is a condition in which the upper chambers of your heart (the atria) quiver chaotically instead of beating effectively. It is not always easy to detect. Some people who have atrial fibrillation may not experience any symptoms. Others may experience palpitations, fatigue or shortness of breath. The condition is also associated with several other problems such as high blood pressure, stroke and heart failure.

The risk of atrial fibrillation increases with age. Most people develop it at the age of 60 and above. People with atrial fibrillation have a heart rate that varies between 100 and 175 beats per minute which are way higher than the normal range ie 60 to 100 beats a minute. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is the most common form and usually stops within 48 hours. Persistent atrial fibrillation lasts more than a week, needs medical intervention and regular ECG patient monitoring device for easy check on heart electric signals.

What happens to the heart in AFib?

To understand how a heart with AFib Functions, let’s understand the normal functioning of the heart. There are two upper chambers in the heart (atria) and two lower chambers (ventricles). A sinus node is a group of cells located in the upper right chamber of the heart (right atrium). The sinus node is also known as the natural pacemaker of the heart.  Each heartbeat begins with a signal from it.

In AFib, the upper chamber sends out abnormal electrical impulses that cause erratic, fast or slow heartbeats. The AV node passes fluctuating signals to the lower heart chambers (ventricles), leading to irregular heart rhythm. Atrial fibrillation can cause blood to pool in the upper chambers of the heart, which leads to a variety of complications such as stroke,  heart failure, etc.

Causes of AFib

• Coronary artery disease
• Heart attack
• Heart defect by birth (congenital heart defect)
• High blood pressure
• Heart valve problems
• Lung diseases
• Previous heart surgery
• Physical stress due to surgery or illnesses
• Problem with the heart’s natural pacemaker- Sinoatrial (SA) node
• Thyroid disease
• Sleep apnea
• Viral infections
• Excess use of stimulants, including caffeine, tobacco and alcohol, and medications.

Symptoms of AFib

A person can have AFib for many years and not know it because it does not always cause symptoms.  However, some symptoms may include:

• Sensations of pounding or fluttering heartbeat
• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Reduced ability to exercise
• Weakness

How Can ECG Monitoring Help?

Regular ECG monitoring is a way to detect and manage AFib. ECG detects changes in the heart rhythm, and arrhythmias and can alert you about other cardiac problems such as heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. If you have AFib, your ECG will show a low amplitude and P waves will not be seen on the ECG reports.

Now that you know the importance of ECG for AFib management and overall heart health monitoring, choose CuroMe, the best ECG machine on rent in Pune. It has professional EKG functions that provide accurate measurement of QRS duration, ST segment, QT/QTC interval, Heart Rate and Rhythm Analysis in medical precision. The device also indicates arrhythmia, irregular heart rhythms and seven other results related to heart rhythm.

The Bottom Line

Atrial Fibrillation is often not taken seriously due to matter of fact that most people don’t understand the consequences of ignoring it. Let’s take a step towards keeping a check on your ECG. No more rushing to the hospital for ECG tests; bring home the CuroMe patient monitoring device by Curofone. It’s portable, syncs with the Curofone app and gives your doctor an insight into your real-time heart health!

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