HEALTH & WELLNESS
When your heart gets out of step
The most common irregular heartbeat
is atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), in which the
heart’s upper chambers (atria) beat out
of coordination with the lower chambers
(ventricles). It reduces your heart’s ability
to pump blood through your body, which
means you do not get enough oxygen.
Atrial fibrillation may come and go — and it can be symp-
tomless — or it may be a long-term condition. When symptoms
do appear, they include racing heart and palpitations, shortness
of breath, chest pain or pressure and fatigue. It’s very important
to treat and manage atrial fibrillation to help prevent a blood
clot or stroke.
Possible causes of atrial fibrillation include untreated sleep
apnea; high blood pressure; stress; stimulants such as caffeine,
tobacco, alcohol or certain medications; and damage to the
heart from a virus or heart attack.
How can atrial fibrillation be treated?
• Heart medicines help control heart rate and rhythm.
Some individuals may need more than one medicine to
treat their symptoms, which are best managed if treat-
ment commences less than one year from onset of the
arrhythmia.
• Electric cardioversion is an external procedure to return
the heart rate and rhythm to normal. Performed using
electric shock, it is more successful if
treatment commences less than one
year from onset. It is not necessarily a
long-term treatment and frequently
needs to be repeated.
• Stereotaxis ablation is a state-of-the-
art, safer technology used to access,
identify and treat arrhythmic pathways
of the heart, correcting the arrhythmia by deactivating
the tissue causing it.
• A pacemaker may be indicated to control your heartbeat.
• Blood thinners and antiplatelet meds help prevent blood
clots from forming in the left atrial appendage, as clots
can cause strokes, heart attacks and death. Blood thin-
ners include warfarin and heparin, with aspirin the most
commonly used antiplatelet medication.
There is a new state-of-the-art alternative to long-term
blood-thinner therapy called the WATCHMAN™ Implant. This
minimally invasively-implanted device is a breakthrough for
patients with atrial fibrillation who use a blood thinner and are
seeking a permanent non-drug alternative.
HEALTHY LIVING TIPS FROM
78
NEW JERSEY COPS
■ JULY 2017
For an appointment with a Deborah specialist or more informa-
tion about how Deborah Heart and Lung Center’s leading-edge
technologies can improve your quality of life, call 800-555-1990
or request info or an appointment at www.demanddeborah.org.