Looking To The Future In Atrial Fibrillation Treatment & Management
The global prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AFib) is increasing due to an aging population and improved survival with chronic diseases. This has created an epidemic of AFib, making it the most common sustained abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia), and there is a 37% lifetime risk of developing AFib. The presence of atrial fibrillation risk factors increases […]
Can Atrial Fibrillation Be Caused By Anxiety?
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a chaotic, abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia). It can cause symptoms of palpitations, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, and decreased exercise capacity and can have a significant impact on quality of life. Strong negative emotions such as anxiety, stress, and anger have been associated with atrial fibrillation (AFib). There appears to […]
New Risk Factors for Heart Arrhythmia
The risk of experiencing an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) increases with age and most people over the age of 75 years experience irregular heartbeats at some point. Not all irregular heartbeats are bad or need treatment. Factors that determine if an arrhythmia is clinically significant include: duration, arrhythmia type, underlying risk factors or trigger(s), and associated […]
The Future of Atrial Fibrillation and Electrophysiology
Atrial fibrillation (AFib or AF) is the most common abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) which requires treatment. It places a significant burden on patients and our healthcare system at large, costing an estimated $28 billion per year. Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, which is a closely related arrhythmia, are estimated to affect 44 million people worldwide. […]
Beyond Pacemakers and Ablation in Atrial Fibrillation: Steps to Better Rhythm Control
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a heart arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) that causes a rapid, irregular, heartbeat. There are three primary goals of AFib treatment which include: alleviation of symptoms, prevention of heart failure, and stroke risk reduction. The first two AFib treatment goals are achieved through rate and/or rhythm control. Rate control treatment methods target […]
Best Alternative Treatment for Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common heart arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) that requires treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control, it is estimated that AFib will affect 12.1 million Americans by 2030. Many people with AFib experience symptoms like palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, or weakness and an atrial fibrillation attack can […]
8 Surprising AFib Triggers
Bill is exhausted this morning. He just finished his fourth cup of coffee in an effort to jumpstart his energy. He is sitting at the table when he feels the heart palpitations begin. Bill looks at his smartwatch and sees that his heart rate is 120 and is going up and down erratically. With a […]
When To Seek Treatment For Afib
There is an epidemic of atrial fibrillation (AFib) in the United States. AFib is the most common cause of sustained irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) and it currently affects an estimated 3.3 million Americans. With our aging population and improved long-term survival with chronic health conditions, atrial fibrillation is predicted to affect 16 million Americans by 2050. […]
Atrial Fibrillation And High Blood Pressure
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) causes an irregular, chaotic heart rhythm and affects 9% of Americans over the age of 65. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a common cause of atrial fibrillation. A person with hypertension is almost twice as likely to develop atrial fibrillation as someone who has normal blood pressure (BP). High blood […]
Atrial Fibrillation: AFib and Congestive Heart Failure
There are epidemics of atrial fibrillation (AFib) and heart failure in the United States. Heart failure affects approximately 6 million Americans over the age of 20. Atrial fibrillation is estimated to affect 5.2 million people in the U.S. The prevalence of heart failure and atrial fibrillation have increased over the past decades due in part […]