Can Atrial Fibrillation Cause Blood Clots in Legs

Atrial Fibrillation

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What is atrial fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the well-nigh common blazon of abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia). Normally, a specific group of cells in the correct upper heart sleeping room gives the signal to offset your heartbeat. These cells are referred to equally the sinoatrial (SA) node. The signal quickly travels down the heart'south conducting system. From the right atria, it travels to the upper-left filling chamber of the heart (left atrium) and from at that place, it passes through some other node of tissues phone call the AV node, to achieve the left and right ventricle, the two lower pumping chambers of the heart. As it travels, the betoken triggers the chambers of the heart to contract. The atria contract with each heartbeat to move blood into the ventricles, and the ventricles contract to move blood out to the body.

During AFib, the centre receives electrical signals that come from outside the SA node causing the atria to contract in a disorganized mode. This causes the atria to quiver (fibrillate). The disorganized signals are and so transmitted to the ventricles. It causes them to contract irregularly and sometimes quickly. The contraction of the atria and the ventricles is no longer coordinated. The amount of blood pumped out to the body will vary with each heartbeat. The ventricles may non be able to pump blood efficiently to the body.

The quivering atria can atomic number 82 to blood pooling in the middle because the blood is not pumped efficiently from bedchamber to bedroom. This pooling can crusade claret clots to form inside the heart. Most clots form inside the left atrium. That's because the left atrium has a pouch in the musculus wall, referred to as the left atrial appendage. This pouch is frequently large with several lobes. Doctors don't fully sympathise the physiological purpose of this pouch. But they have constitute that during AFib, blood can pool inside the lobes increasing the risk of forming blood clots. These clots can then be pumped out of the heart and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. This is why AFib profoundly increases the take a chance for stroke.

Normal heart and heart with atrial fibrillation

Doctors classify AFib in 3 ways:

Paroxysmal. Sometimes AFib occurs briefly and then goes away on its own. It may concluding for seconds, minutes, hours, or up to 7 days before returning to a normal rhythm.
Persistent. This is AFib that does not go away on its own. Handling may be used to render the heart to normal rhythm. It lasts for 7 days or longer. AFib that lasts longer than a yr is chosen long-continuing persistent atrial fibrillation.
Permanent. AFib may be called permanent when a conclusion is made to no longer command the heart's rhythm or despite best efforts, normal rhythm tin't exist restored.

AFib is mutual in adults. The risk increases with historic period. Information technology's more than common in men than in women.

What causes atrial fibrillation?

AFib can happen from whatever type of problem that changes the way the heart handles electricity. Sometimes the cause is unknown. There is a range of things that tin can increase this risk. Some of the risks include:

Older age
High blood pressure
Coronary artery disease
Heart failure
Rheumatic heart disease from a past Streptococcus infection
Heart valve defects such as mitral valve prolapse with regurgitation
Pericarditis
Congenital heart defects
Ill sinus syndrome
Hyperthyroidism
Obesity
Diabetes
Lung disease
Obstructive slumber apnea
Metabolic syndrome
High-dose steroid therapy

AFib is also more than likely to happen during an infection or right after surgery. Stress, caffeine, and alcohol may also set off attacks. People who exercise a lot of repeated vigorous endurance exercises, such as running marathons, can develop atrial fibrillation.

Certain people may be at greater risk of developing AFib. This is because of differences in genes they inherited from their parents. This is not however fully understood.

Who is at gamble for atrial fibrillation?

AFib is more than common in people who are older than 65. Information technology'due south as well more common in men than women. Underlying heart affliction, high claret force per unit area, thyroid problems, excessive alcohol use, sleep apnea, and certain lung illness put people at adventure for atrial fibrillation.

What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?

AFib tin can cause different symptoms. This is particularly truthful when it'south not treated. These tin can include:

The feeling that your heart is skipping beats or chirapsia likewise hard (heart palpitations)
Shortness of jiff
Breast pain
Dizziness or fainting
Weakness and tiredness (fatigue)
Swelling in the feet, ankles, and legs

Sometimes AFib has no symptoms. The showtime symptom may be symptoms of a stroke.

How is atrial fibrillation diagnosed?

Diagnosis starts with a wellness history and physical exam. An internist or chief care healthcare provider will often makes the diagnosis. You may be sent to a cardiologist for more assessment and treatment.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is very important for a diagnosis. Healthcare providers use this test to study the heart signal and rhythm. In some cases, the diagnosis tin can be fabricated based on this test alone. If your arrhythmia symptoms come and go, you lot might need to wear an ECG Holter monitor or result recorder for 24 - 48 hours or longer. This measures and records your ECG as you go nigh your daily activities, allowing your healthcare provider to assess your eye's activity over fourth dimension. If your symptoms are very exceptional, you may have a pocket-size implantable heart recording device called a loop recorder implanted nether the skin merely over the heart. This tin monitor for arrhythmias over several years.

Other tests might exist used to assistance plan handling. These might include:

Echocardiogram, to check the hearts structure and function
Cardiac stress testing, to check the blood flow in the heart
Blood work, to bank check for thyroid levels, diabetes, and possible health atmospheric condition
Sleep report, when obstructive sleep apnea is suspected

How is atrial fibrillation treated?

Your healthcare providers will piece of work with y'all to create a specific handling programme. Handling options vary according to your wellness history, your symptoms, and your preferences. Some people who don't accept any symptoms may not need significant treatment. Some general categories of handling are discussed below.

Medicines

Medicines for AFib may include:

Claret-thinning (anticoagulant) medicines, to help prevent stroke
Medicines to tedious the heartbeat, such as beta-blockers, digoxin, and calcium channel blockers
Medicines to help prevent AFib (antiarrhythmics)
Treatment for the main cause of AFib, if known
Medicines to treat centre failure if present, such as ACE inhibitors

Cardioversion

If your arrhythmia is ongoing, you lot may need a process called an electrical cardioversion. This can help get the middle back into a normal rhythm. Your provider uses special pads or paddles to send i or more brief electrical shocks to the heart. This is to stop the signal that is making the atria quiver and reset the heartbeat to normal. If yous have not been taking claret thinners for a sufficient corporeality of fourth dimension before a cardioversion, you may also need a special echocardiogram called a trans-esophageal echocardiogram. This is to make sure you don't accept a clot in your middle that could crusade a stroke during or subsequently cardioversion when proper claret flow is restored.

Ablation

Procedures such as catheter ablation may be used to restore normal rhythm and better symptoms if medicines and electrical cardioversion have not controlled the arrhythmia. It may also provide an opportunity to discontinue long-term medicine for atrial fibrillation. Catheter ablation uses either radiofrequency energy sent through a wire or a freezing airship (cryoballoon therapy) to destroy the areas of center tissue that may causes AFib.

In some cases when atrial fibrillation tin't exist controlled, the conduction node betwixt the atria and the ventricles (AV node) will be destroyed using catheter ablation. This prevents the trouble signals from passing to the ventricles. A pacemaker is then implanted to provide adequate heart rate in the ventricles.

Surgery

Surgery may be used to restore normal rhythm. During surgery, your healthcare provider may employ different methods to create scar tissue in the areas of the heart causing the abnormal signals. The scar tissue disrupts the abnormal signals and may stop AFib from occurring. Some other procedure called a hybrid surgical-catheter ablation for AFib may be considered. Information technology combines a surgical approach and a catheter ablation. It allows access to the outside and inside of the heart. Using both approaches may effectively block the abnormal electrical signals .

What are possible complications of atrial fibrillation?

Stroke and centre failure are the major complications of AFib. Blood can pool in the atria during AFib. This tin cause a clot. This clot tin can travel to the brain and cake a vessel there, causing a stroke. Blood-thinning medicines help reduce this risk. What y'all are prescribed will depend on your risk for stroke. If you are at low risk, you may not need to take annihilation at all. If yous are at high risk, you volition need a blood-thinner.

AFib as well sometimes causes heart failure. Because the chambers of the center are chirapsia so irregularly, they can't fill or squeeze unremarkably. This is especially truthful if the center is beating very fast. Over time, this tin weaken the centre preventing the eye from pumping enough blood to the body. Heart failure is treated with lifestyle changes, medicine, procedures, or surgery. Medicines that lower the heart rate will also aid prevent heart failure.

AFib is also linked to an increased risk for dementia and a shorter lifespan.

What can I practice to prevent atrial fibrillation?

Controlling risk factors for atrial fibrillation may prevent AFib from developing. This includes managing underlying centre disease, high blood pressure, thyroid problems, sleep apnea, obesity, and lung diseases. Adventure factor control likewise ways making salubrious lifestyle choices. These choices include eating a healthy nutrition, exercising regularly, maintaining a salubrious weight, and not smoking. Drink booze only in moderation, if at all. If you take an alcohol corruption problem, consider getting help.

How tin I manage atrial fibrillation?

You volition need regular follow-up for your AFib. Claret-thinners called straight-acting oral anticoagulants (DOAC) medicines may be recommended by your healthcare provider to preclude stroke. You don't need frequent blood tests for these medicines. But y'all may need to have your kidney function checked periodically.

If you lot take warfarin, you will need more frequent claret tests such as a prothrombin time (PT). This test measures the time information technology takes for your blood to clot. It records your reading as an international normalized ratio (INR). Your INR can change over fourth dimension based on various factors including the nutrient yous eat or medicines you lot take. Your INR needs to exist kept at a certain level to protect you lot from clotting. Your healthcare provider can change your medicine dose if needed to keep you at a safe level.

Your healthcare provider may advise a device called a left atrial appendage closure to prevent stroke if you lot can't accept claret-thinners or are at high take chances of bleeding. The device closes off an area in the left atrium where almost blood clots form that cause stroke.

At that place are other steps you can accept to help you manage your AFib and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Eat about the aforementioned amount of sure foods such equally green leafy vegetables if you are taking warfarin.
Consume a centre-healthy diet.
Don't smoke.
Exist physically active and maintain a healthy weight.
Keep your cholesterol at salubrious levels with lifestyle and medicine.
Don't use alcohol or caffeine. They can trigger heart rhythm problems.
Make sure your healthcare providers know well-nigh all over-the-counter medicines y'all apply.
Make sure all your healthcare providers, dentists, and pharmacists know if you are taking a medicine to prevent blood clots.
If you lot miss a dose of a claret-thinning medicine, don't double up your dose. Ask your healthcare provider what you should do.

When should I phone call my healthcare provider?

Become emergency medical care if you take severe symptoms such as breast pain or sudden shortness of jiff. Also get help if y'all take signs of severe bleeding.

See your healthcare provider soon if your symptoms are gradually getting worse, or if you have whatsoever new mild symptoms or side effects.

Key points most atrial fibrillation

AFib is the virtually common abnormal heart rhythm. The atria quiver instead of contracting the way they should. The heart rate usually increases. It's a serious condition, but almost people with AFib can lead normal, agile lives. Yous will need to exist checked regularly.
Follow all of your healthcare provider'due south instructions well-nigh medicines, lifestyle, and monitoring.
You may exist treated with medicine to control your center rate or rhythm.
Yous may need claret-thinning medicine to assistance preclude a stroke.
Depending on what blood thinner you take, yous may need frequent claret tests and monitoring.
Become to all your healthcare provider appointments.

Side by side steps

Tips to help yous get the almost from a visit to your healthcare provider:

Know the reason for your visit and what you desire to happen.
Before your visit, write down questions you lot want answered.
Bring someone with you to help yous ask questions and retrieve what your provider tells you.
At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down whatsoever new instructions your provider gives you.
Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed, and how it will help you. Also know what the side effects are.
Ask if your condition can be treated in other ways.
Know why a exam or process is recommended and what the results could mean.
Know what to look if you practise not accept the medicine or have the test or procedure.
If you have a follow-up engagement, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.
Know how yous can contact your provider if you accept questions.

© 2000-2021 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This data is not intended equally a substitute for professional person medical care. Ever follow your healthcare professional's instructions.

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Source: https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/a/atrial-fibrillation.html