Atrial Fibrillation (AFib): Symptoms and Treatment

Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is the most common type of heart arrhythmia. This fast and irregular heart rhythm develops when the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) do not beat in sync with the lower chambers (the ventricles). The feeling is often described as a flutter or as if the heart is skipping a beat.

Left untreated, AFib can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other serious conditions that can require hospitalization. At Beaufort Memorial, our cardiologists and interventional cardiologists are skilled in managing AFib and reducing its impact on your long-term health.

The board-certified heart specialists at Beaufort Memorial can evaluate your AFib or help you reduce your risk. Call 843-770-4550 today to schedule an appointment.

What Causes AFib?

Heart rhythm disorders, such as AFib, sometimes occur when the heart's electrical system gets damaged, but doctors are not always able to determine an exact cause. However, the condition is more common in people who have or had:

• Congestive heart failure
• Diabetes
• Heart attack
• Heart or valve diseases
• Lung disease
• Previous heart surgery, such as coronary artery bypass graft surgery
• Thyroid problems
• Uncontrolled high blood pressure

AFib also becomes more common with age.

Signs and Symptoms of AFib

The most common sign of AFib is a rapid or irregular heartbeat, which can also feel like fluttering or pounding in the chest. People with AFib may also experience:

• Chest pain or pressure
• Fatigue, especially when exercising
• Feeling dizzy or faint
• Shortness of breath
• Sweating at rest or with minimal exertion

AFib itself rarely requires emergency medical attention, but it shares symptoms that resemble those of heart attack and stroke, which are medical emergencies. Never hesitate to go to the emergency room if you experience chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attack or the warning signs of stroke.

AFib Treatment Guidelines

If you are diagnosed with AFib, our experts will work with you and your primary care provider to find the best way to correct an abnormal heart rhythm. Treatment guidelines will vary depending on your age and any other health issues you may have, but they generally focus on restoring your heart's rhythm and preventing stroke.

Most treatment plans will include lifestyle changes that can improve heart health, such as exercising, eating a healthy diet and quitting smoking.

Medication is often the first medical treatment for managing Afib, especially if you have mild symptoms. Your provider may prescribe a blood thinner, such as warfarin, or recommend you take a daily aspirin. Both can help prevent the formation of blood clots that can cause a heart attack or stroke.

To help restore your heart's rhythm, you may require a more intensive solution, such as:

• An implantable cardioverter defibrillator, which delivers an electric shock to the heart when its rhythm gets out of sync
• A pacemaker, a device that helps regulate your heart rhythm
• Cardioversion, which involves either medications or a medical procedure that allow your heart to return to a normal rhythm
• Catheter ablation, a procedure that uses extreme heat, cold or a laser to destroy the tissue where the abnormal rhythm originates

Dedicated Coumadin Clinic

Coumadin (also known as warfarin or Jantoven) is an anticoagulant medication prescribed to people with AFib to reduce the risk of blood clotting, which can lead to a heart attack, stroke or other complications. Patients on Coumadin must have frequent blood tests called PT/INR to ensure the effect of the blood thinner remains in the desired range.

If your doctor prescribes Coumadin, the specialized Coumadin Clinic at Beaufort Memorial offers these regular tests with immediate results and ongoing monitoring to see how your body responds to the medication. We also offer personalized education regarding side effects and how various foods and other medications can affect the way the body responds to Coumadin.