Atrial Fibrilation

What is atrial fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation is the most common significant heart rhythm disorder (technically arrhythmia) in the adult population. It occurs in 2-4% of people, but is often undiagnosed. Atrial fibrillation is characterized by the chaotic activity of the heart’s atria, which leads to irregular ventricular contraction, which also manifests itself in irregular heartbeat. When measured, the heart rate can be abnormally fast (over 100/minute) or noticeably slow (under 50/minute).

Characteristic symptoms are irregular heartbeats, unpleasant tightness in the chest, inefficiency or shortness of breath. A significant number of people may not experience any subjective difficulties and the arrhythmia is detected completely randomly on the ECG.

 Co je příčinou fibrilace síní?

Jedním z hlavních rizikových faktorů pro vznik arytmie je zvyšující se věk a stárnutí obyvatel. Do 40 let se vyskytuje sporadicky (v méně než 1 %), častěji je zaznamenána u vrcholových
a vytrvalostních sportovců (např. maratonců). S každým dalším rokem života se její četnost v populaci zvyšuje, zvláště pak nad 55 let. V 70 letech může jít o každou desátou a v 80 letech dokonce o každou pátou osobu v populaci. V České republice je známo více než půl milionu osob s touto diagnózou. Další rizikové faktory tvoří vysoký krevní tlak, cukrovka, srdeční selhání, chronické onemocnění ledvin, ischemická choroba srdeční, obezita a kouření.

What causes atrial fibrillation?

One of the main risk factors for the development of arrhythmia is the increasing age and aging of the population. Up to the age of 40, it occurs sporadically (in less than 1%), it is more often recorded in the top
and endurance athletes (e.g. marathon runners). With each additional year of life, its frequency increases in the population, especially over 55 years. In the 70s, it can be one in ten and in the 80s even one in five people in the population. More than half a million people with this diagnosis are known in the Czech Republic. Other risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, coronary heart disease, obesity and smoking.

What is the treatment for atrial fibrillation?

Current therapy is aimed at two goals. The first of these is the elimination of the risk of stroke and other distant vascular occlusions. This is achieved with the help of new so-called direct blood-thinning drugs. Compared to the previously used warfarin, these have high patient comfort and acceptable safety. The second goal is to influence the symptoms of the arrhythmia with the help of drugs (so-called antiarrhythmics) or to try to eliminate it using an operation in the heart – catheter ablation.

What can I do if I have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation?

Any patient in whom atrial fibrillation has been detected should report the finding to their doctor as soon as possible. Based on the calculated risk, the need to use blood thinners (in the prevention of stroke) is assessed and an individual treatment strategy is chosen in cooperation with a specialist – a cardiologist.