July 28, 2016
1417
Q: I went for my annual physical and discovered I have something called atrial fibrillation. What is that, and what do I need to know about it?
A: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commonly-diagnosed type of cardiac arrhythmia in Canada, affecting about 350,000 Canadians currently. In this condition, the heart’s two upper chambers (the left and right atria) beat irregularly (and often very quickly) such that they fall out of co-ordination with the two lower chambers (the ventricles).
The result is that the heart functions inefficiently which gives rise to an increased chance of suffering from a stroke, heart failure or some other cardiac abnormality.
Episodes of AF can come and go without a known trigger or remedy or they can continue indefinitely until hopefully treated. Although the condition, itself, is usually not life-threatening, it is a serious medical condition that requires life-long monitoring, treatment and, occasionally, emergency intervention.
These irregular heartbeats are a result of the electrical signals that tell your various chambers to contract, becoming chaotic. This is usually due to damage to the heart, itself, from a variety of causes, including high blood pressure, lung disorders, heart attacks, birth defects within the heart, sleep apnea, infections, exposure to toxins such as tobacco, alcohol and many other reasons.
For more information about this or any other health-related questions, contact the pharmacists at Gordon Pharmasave, Your Health and Wellness Destination.
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