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You may have heard about some of the warning signs for a heart attack or stroke, but atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that could greatly increase your risk of such undesired events. If you understand the signs and symptoms of atrial fibrillation, then you can work with your doctor to treat it and prevent a stroke before it happens.
Strokes are caused by blood clots or a restricted blood flow to certain parts of the brain. These blood clots can form for a variety of reasons, but one thing is certain: If you tend to have more blood clots, you are at greater risk for heart attack and stroke.
What is atrial fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that makes you more likely to develop blood clots. It occurs when the upper chambers or atria beat too fast and not in rhythm, causing fibrillation, as shown in this animation provided by heart.org.
The resulting chaotic or over fast rhythm fails to move blood effectively to the ventricles, even reducing the heart’s pumping efficiency by up to 30 percent. Such inefficiency creates pooling or leftover blood that becomes caught in the upper chambers of the heart. Whether in the heart or anywhere in the body, pooling or stagnant blood is never a good thing and often leads to the formation of blood clots. Herein lies the main risk of atrial fibrillation, since blood clots can and often do break off before traveling to the brain, lungs or other parts of the body and causing a heart attack or stroke.
Different types of atrial fibrillation exist (as noted by heart.org) and will likely be treated in different ways. But before you can receive treatment, you need to know that there’s a problem in the first place. Here’s where the signs and symptoms come in.
Signs and symptoms of atrial fibrillation
Some people experience atrial fibrillation with very little noticeable symptoms, but there are certain signs to be aware of, including:
- Thudding or racing heartbeat
- Breathlessness
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Palpitations or a racing heart
- Feeling tired and weak after an atrial fibrillation episode
Triggers of atrial fibrillation
Healthline.com lists eight possible triggers that might lead to an atrial fibrillation event. These triggers aren’t a one-size-fits all, meaning that while one trigger might affect some, it doesn’t necessarily mean it always has a negative effect on others. Here are the eight listed triggers:
- Fatigue and illness
- Emotional triggers such as fright, anxiety or extreme happiness
- Hormonal changes
- Increased physical exertion
- Medication such as cold medications and nasal decongestants
- Dehydration
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
How atrial fibrillation relates to stroke
Not everyone with atrial fibrillation will have a stroke, but about one-third of them will. In fact, strokes caused by or related to atrial fibrillation are more frequently fatal and disabling. The following conditions increase your risk of having a stroke:
- Atrial fibrillation
- Coronary artery disease
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Sleep apnea
Symptoms of stroke
If you have atrial fibrillation, here are the stroke symptoms to watch for:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of body
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or comprehending speech
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking due to dizziness or loss of coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
How to reduce your risk
Your doctor will help you choose the best treatment path based off of your symptoms, heart rhythm, stroke risk and other medical conditions and current medications. There are often two main treatment types, medication and surgery. Medications can include anticoagulants or blood thinners such as aspirin and warfarin (Coumadin). These medications help prevent blood clots from forming, but like any medication, they do have side effects.
Another common treatment alternative comes in the form of surgery or implanting a Left Atrial Appendage Closure, or LAAC device. This device permanently closes off a small pouch to prevent blood clots from entering the bloodstream. This one-time implant does not require open heart surgery and has a short recovery period, with a high success rate.
To learn more about possible treatment options for atrial fibrillation and many other heart conditions, find a trusted physician at a Mountain Star hospital near you.
