Heart Arrhythmia

** WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF HEART RHYTHM DISORDERS!!! **

** **The problem of heart rhythm disorders remains constantly relevant. A spectrum of cardiac arrhythmias may be detected in a healthy person without significantly affecting their quality of life, while at the same time, heart rhythm disorders are among the most common and significant complications of completely different diseases. Atrial fibrillation is the most common serious chronic heart rhythm disorder and is responsible for a significant proportion of morbidity, disability, and mortality. It more often affects older people, predominantly men, most of whom have coronary heart disease, valvular heart disease, heart failure, diabetes, or hypertension. The main danger of atrial fibrillation is cardiogenic thromboembolism, which increases the risk of stroke by 4–5 times. About 15% of all ischemic strokes are caused by atrial fibrillation. An increase in mortality has been reported when AF accompanies an acute myocardial infarction compared with cases without this combination. Life-threatening heart rhythm disorders are a leading cause of sudden death.

So, you have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation — this means that your heart is currently not beating in the usual way — rhythmically — but irregularly and chaotically. Atrial fibrillation itself is not life-threatening. Sometimes it may even be completely asymptomatic. But this does not mean that it does not need to be treated! The main danger for you lies not in the disease itself, but in the complications to which it can lead. As a result, the chambers of the heart work in an uncoordinated and chaotic manner. Blood does not enter the lower chambers of the heart in sufficient volume and stagnates in the upper chambers. There, it can clot and form blood clots — thrombi. A thrombus that moves from the heart through the blood vessels can reach the brain, block one of the arteries, and interrupt the blood supply to the corresponding area of the brain. Without receiving oxygen and nutrients from the blood, the tissues in this area begin to die. This is an ischemic stroke. What is the outcome for patients after an ischemic stroke?

die within the first 28 days

die within a year

suffer another stroke within a year

require permanent care

be unable to maintain basic personal hygiene without assistance

be unable to eat independently

be unable to dress independently

be unable to walk
Does atrial fibrillation need to be treated? As you can see from the above — yes, it does. Usually, we treat the disease that caused the heart rhythm disorder. There is a group of medications called anticoagulants. These are effective medications; however, their use is associated with a number of inconveniences and the need for regular monitoring of INR — an indicator of the state of the blood coagulation system. It is important to remember that medications used to prevent diseases (unlike medications used for treatment) do not produce a visible effect that can be felt immediately. Their purpose is to prevent problems that your disease may cause in the long term. Do not stop taking prescribed medications even if you feel well. If you have any questions, consult your doctor! There is an alternative to drug treatment for atrial fibrillation — radiofrequency ablation. This method is effective for a newly developed heart rhythm disorder. This treatment is performed by arrhythmologists at the regional hospital. Yes, this treatment method is not free of charge, but it is significantly effective and has a favorable prognosis. Are you relying on chance? Do you think that this could happen to someone else, but not to you? Don't be so sure — illness comes to us when we least expect it. Therefore, when your heart sounds the alarm and asks for help, do not delay and see your family doctor, who will be able to help you understand the situation and should provide a referral to an arrhythmologist at the Regional Clinical Hospital. Because the sooner the correct heart rhythm is restored, the lower the risk of having a stroke. Cardiologist L. F. Pidmazko