During Afib, the atria—the heart’s two upper chambers—beat chaotically and out of sync with the ventricles—the heart’s two lower chambers, according to Mayo Clinic. A normal heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute; Afib can hit 100 to 175 beats per minute.
When that happens, you could feel:
- Fluttering in the chest
- Racing or skipped heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue, lightheadedness, and weakness.
However, some people with Afib never have symptoms and learn of their condition only when it’s found during a physical.
When to see a doctor
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends you contact a doctor as soon as you notice the symptoms of Afib. Even if the symptoms go away, it’s important to have a physical exam and monitor your heart’s activity.
Is Afib deadly?
Generally, Afib itself will not kill you, the AHA says. But it can cause strokes from blood clots that form in the heart from pooled blood, or heart failure.
Treatments for Afib
Your doctor may prescribe medications to:
- Lower the heart rate and regulate the pace of electrical currents sent from the atria to the ventricles
- Keep heartbeat patterns or rhythms normal
- Cut the risk of blood clot formation that can lead to strokes
Anyone with Afib will need regular checkups to monitor the condition and keep risks low.
Whether you need medication depends on the type of Afib you have:
- Occasional: Called paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, symptoms may come and go, last for minutes to hours, and stop on their own
- Persistent: The heart’s rhythm doesn’t return to normal by itself and requires treatment such as an electric shock or medication to right it
- Long-standing persistent: This is continuous and lasts more than 12 months
- Permanent: This lasts forever and usually requires medications to control
What causes Afib?
Abnormalities and damage to the heart’s structure are the most common causes, according to Mayo Clinic, but other causes include everything from untreated high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and a metabolic imbalance to lung disease, sleep apnea, and improper function of the heart’s natural pacemaker.
Some people with atrial fibrillation have no heart defects or damage. These cases of lone atrial fibrillation rarely carry serious complications.
Are you at risk?
According to the Heart Rhythm Society, these factors increase your risk:
- Age—chances increase the older you grow
- Long-term, uncontrolled high blood pressure
- Family history of Afib
- Another heart condition or history of heart attacks
- Binge-drinking alcohol
Prevention
As with most heart-related conditions, living a healthy lifestyle—physical activity, healthy diet, no smoking, and keeping a healthy weight—is important, as are limiting caffeine and alcohol, and reducing stress.