September is Afib Awareness Month
a time to learn more about a potentially life-threatening condition
One of the most common types of irregular heartbeat or arrythmia is atrial fibrillation, also known as Afib. This occurs when the heart’s electrical impulses are disrupted, causing the heart to no longer beat in a regular rhythm.
Often these irregular heartbeats feel like a skipped beat, a “thud” followed by a racing heart, erratic heartbeats, a pounding in the chest, or a flutter sensation like “butterflies” or “flopping fish.” A person with Afib may also feel dizzy, light-headed, anxious, short of breath, weak, or exhausted. Chest pain or pressure may also be noticeable.
Afib may affect the quality of life and can be life-threatening. Changes in the heartbeat may restrict blood flow to vital organs or may allow blood clots to form resulting in a stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, or congestive heart failure. Atrial fibrillation is often treatable with medication but at times a medical procedure is necessary to bring the heart back into rhythm.
The good news is that a person can live a full and active life with Afib if they see their physician on a regular basis, take their medication exactly as prescribed, and make good heart-healthy lifestyle choices. Education along with a proper assessment by a cardiologist is vital in deciding the best management for a diagnosis of Afib.
For more information, go to www.heart.org/afib or www.stopafib.org.
Pastoral Care Director,
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