It tends to do this when there is a specific trigger such as coronary artery bypass surgery, hyperthyroidism, pericarditis, alcohol intoxication or other stimulants such as some of the over-the-counter supplements and even caffeine , other acute illnesses that cause extreme vomiting and some conditions that lead to overexertion.
In general, it is not a good idea to workout too vigorously with atrial fibrillation unless you have been carefully evaluated for underlying heart conditions by a doctor. Some people who have atrial fibrillation have significant problems with their heart and with exercise, the heart rate can race tremendously during atrial fibrillation, thereby exacerbating the underlying heart condition and may lead to problems such as very low blood pressure, heart failure or a loss of consciousness.
If the problem of atrial fibrillation has been well managed so that the rate is under control, or the rhythm is under control, it is possible to go back to standard physical activity in many cases. In fact, there are several professional athletes, including basketball players, who have atrial fibrillation present at times. Let's consider the first category of drugs: Drugs to control heart rate include medications known as beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers and digoxin.
Sometimes these drugs are given intravenously, but they are also available orally and these drugs are used to prevent the heart rate from speeding up too much during atrial fibrillation with exercise and they need to be adjusted so the rate does not get too slow at rest.
The second class of drugs to maintain normal rhythm include so-called antiarrhythmic drugs. Some of these drugs need to be started in the hospital. Some of the older drugs include Quinidine, Procainamide, Disopyramide, Flecainide, Propafenone, Sotalol, Amiodarone and a new drug known as Dofetilide. These drugs are not all approved by the FDA, but all have been used for atrial fibrillation by doctors. Each one has its own set of side effects and benefits.
Amiodarone is the most potent, but it has a large number of longterm side effects possible. Flecainide and Propafenone are not to be given to anyone who has an underlying heart condition. The third types of drugs are blood thinners to prevent stroke and blood clots.
These medications include Heparin and Warfarin. With this large compendium of medications, a doctor may select several, depending on the severity of the symptoms, the age of the patient, the presence of underlying heart conditions and response to other medications, the severity of the episodes and other risk factors for stroke.
Yes, there is something to the use of tarantula spider venom. No drug has yet been developed but a report in the journal Nature on January 4, volume , page 35, describes the response of atrial fibrillation to this toxin. It works in a different way than the other medications so far developed and it works on stretch channels in the heart. If this proves to be effective, it may provide insight into causes of atrial fibrillation and the development of potentially new useful therapies.
For some people, atrial fibrillation represents no more than a new, annoying palpitation. For other people, it can be the cause for a stroke but the process might have been unrecognized until that point.
The older you are, and the more risk factors you have for stroke, as I mentioned earlier, the greater the chance that without being on a blood thinner, that atrial fibrillation will cause a stroke. With several risk factors present, an older person can have a risk factor for stroke as high as 17 percent each year.
One issue about atrial fibrillation is that there are those that have it and do not even recognize that it is present. Stroke can be caused by atrial fibrillation even in younger individuals and it is one of the potential causes for stroke in which no obvious cause can be diagnosed.
Digitalis is one of the treatments used for patients with atrial fibrillation. It comes from the foxglove plant. Digitalis is used mainly to control the rate of the heart during atrial fibrillation. It is not our best drug to control the rate, but may be more useful in elderly, less-active patients and in patients who cannot take a beta-blocker or a calcium channel blocker. It may also be useful in patients who have atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure.
Digitalis at high doses can be potentially toxic and in anyone who has kidney problems, or is taking Quinidine or Verapamil a calcium channel blocker , the levels of Digitalis can increase substantially. Regarding the first question, yes, some over-the-counter drugs can cause irregular heartbeat and some OTC drugs can be associated with atrial fibrillation. The ones of concern are the ones that include adrenalin analogs. Adrenalin is made in the body and it increases the heart rate and blood pressure.
Pseudoephedrine is one such compound. This is present in many cold and decongestant preparations. It is important to recognize that some weight-loss products and some over-the-counter herbal compounds contain an herb known as ma huang. This herb has ephedrine in it. It is important to look at the ingredients in some of these weight loss products or OTC herbal products because this herb can cause irregular heart rhythm and has been associated, in some instances, with sudden death due to cardiac arrest.
If an irregular rhythm, or atrial fibrillation, is triggered by an OTC preparation, it may persist for some period of time. But generally, it goes away on its own. However, once atrial fibrillation starts, and if it is not corrected by intervention and does not go away on its own, over time, the presence of atrial fibrillation in which the rate of the heart is not kept under control means there can be permanent damage to the heart. Actually, with atrial fibrillation, it's men who have more disease.
However, women are more likely to feel their irregular heart rhythm and to have irregular heart beats. Younger people with atrial fibrillation tend to be men and tend to be highly symptomatic with their episodes of atrial fibrillation. Younger women tend to feel extra beats both in the upper and lower chambers of the heart.
Older women tend to be more likely than men to have atrial fibrillation where it is reversed at a younger age. If you have paroxysmal AFib, your doctor may recommend restoration of the normal heart rhythm.
To do this, your doctor may try to reset the normal rhythm with medications or electric shock, also known as cardioversion. Your doctor may suggest an antiarrhythmic medication, such as amiodarone Cordarone or propafenone Rythmol , even when normal rhythm has returned.
They also may prescribe beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers to control your heart rate. Another treatment option for AFib is AFib ablation. A heart rhythm specialist called an electrophysiologist performs an ablation.
For this procedure, the doctor inserts an instrument into your groin that goes through the femoral vein and up into the areas of the heart where AFib originates, which is the left atrium. Then, they ablate to try to electrically isolate the source of the abnormal rhythm. Not everyone with AFib is treated with blood thinners. If you have ongoing AFib, your doctor most likely will prescribe blood-thinning medications such as non-vitamin K direct oral anticoagulants DOACs or warfarin Coumadin to prevent blood clots.
Staying healthy is key to living a normal, active life with AFib. Common risk factors for developing AFib are underlying conditions, such as:. Atrial fibrillation has a number of treatment options, including natural and alternative therapies, plus lifestyle changes you can make. Learn more. The four types of atrial fibrillation can have different symptoms and treatment options. Learn their similarities and differences.
From medications and surgery to other procedures, you have several treatment options for atrial fibrillation. We'll go over them in detail. Alcohol, caffeine, or any stimulant can have profound consequences for anyone living with AFib. Learn about the risks, as well as questions to ask…. Atrial fibrillation can increase your chance of developing dangerous blood clots. We'll talk about how to lower your risk of this serious complication. Atrial fibrillation AFib is the most common type of arrhythmia in the United States.
Learn more about this condition, including causes and symptoms…. Show references Atrial fibrillation. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Accessed July 6, Zipes DP, et al. Catheter ablation: Technical aspects. Elsevier; Accessed Feb. Ferri FF. Atrial fibrillation. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Accessed July 12, Petryszyn P, et al. Effectiveness of screening for atrial fibrillation and its determinants. A meta-analysis.
PLoS One. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed July 22, Kumar K. Overview of atrial fibrillation. Accessed Aug. Bonow RO, et al. Atrial fibrillation: Clinical features, mechanisms and management.
January CT, et al. Catheter ablation. Accessed Jan. High blood pressure, Afib, and your risk of stroke. American Heart Association.
Antiarrhythmic drugs to maintain sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation: Recommendations. Ganz LI. Control of ventricular rate in atrial fibrillation: Pharmacologic therapy.
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