Truths About AFib

If your rhythmic “bum-bum, bum-bum, bum-bum” heartbeat is more of a chaotic, “bum, bum-bum-bum, bum-bum” drumbeat, you may have a heart condition called atrial fibrillation or “AFib.” As many as six million Americans live with AFib, an irregular heartbeat that puts them at greater risk of blood clots, heart failure, and stroke.

With September being National AFib Awareness Month, Southwestern Medical Center wants to spotlight this sometimes-hidden condition that can be treated once identified.

AFib usually presents itself through symptoms such as fatigue or shortness of breath and can be caused by high blood pressure, diabetes or even sleep apnea. That unusual fatigue you might shrug off as “getting old,” for instance, may actually be a less than 100% functioning heart due to an irregular beat.

With AFib, the upper chambers of the heart don’t pump out blood efficiently, kind of like a car engine not firing on all cylinders. But unlike that noisy engine, AFib typically reveals itself to a healthcare professional skilled with a stethoscope. Individuals are often unaware they have atrial fibrillation, which makes regular visits with a healthcare provider essential to detection.

Treatment for AFib depends upon the individual patient. It may include medication or administering an electrical shock to the heart. Some cases require a procedure called catheter ablation, which scars the heart tissue that was creating the erratic signals responsible for the heart’s “misfiring.”

Step one, and the reason for this awareness month, is identifying the condition. That endeavor will require a checkup with a healthcare provider.

If you currently do not have a primary care provider, you can find one at SWMConline.com/find-a-doctor. Call the corresponding provider’s number or click the “book appointment” button to schedule an appointment.