Atrial Fibrillation |
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION | CAUSES & SYMPTOMS | DIAGNOSIS & HEALTH RISKS | TREATMENTS
Dr. Pigott is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation. If you or someone you know is living with atrial fibrillation and would like to know more about the surgical options designed to cure AFib, make an appointment with one of the best heart surgeons in the Atrial Fibrillation Clinic by calling 504-988-AFIB (2342). You may be a candidate for the Totally Thoracoscopic Mini-Maze or another curative procedure which can permit you to LIVE AFib free! THE HEART IS THE BODY’S MOST VITAL MUSCLE and consists of four chambers. The two upper chambers are called atria, and the two lower chambers are called ventricles. In a normally beating heart, the sinus node in the right atrium generates an electrical impulse. This single electrical impulse is transmitted through the atria to the ventricles, resulting in a coordinated contraction first of the atria and then the ventricles. It is through this squeezing or pumping action that blood circulates through the heart and is delivered to all other parts of the body. In normal sinus rhythm, the heart beats between 60 – 100 times per minute. IN ATRIAL FIBRILLATION, many uncoordinated electrical signals are generated in the atria making the atria quiver, or fibrillate, instead of contracting rhythmically. The electrical gatekeeper to the ventricles, the AV Node, is flooded with these chaotic impulses. This creates an irregular stimulation of the AV Node and results in an irregular contraction of the ventricles. Thus, if you have atrial fibrillation, you will have an irregular pulse. In atrial fibrillation, the heart rate is often 130 - 140 beats per minute and can exceed 180 beats per minute. To watch a video showing atrial fibrillation versus a normal sinus rhythm, click here. TYPES OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION ATRIAL FIBRILLATION HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED INTO 3 PATTERNS:
LONE ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IS DEFINED AS THE OCCURRENCE OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY OTHER CARDIAC DISEASE. Patients with Lone AFib are usually younger and have no obvious cause of their AFib. Lone AFib can be paroxysmal, persistent, or longstanding persistent. PATIENT RESOURCES Further information may be found on the following sites: |
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Atrial Fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disturbance, or arrhythmia, in the United States. At any given time, it affects up to 5 million people, many of whom are without symptoms. AFib can occur at any age, but is more common in older individuals, especially those over the age of 60. AFib occurs more commonly in women and is associated with a higher risk of death in women than in men. Atrial fibrillation can increase one's risk of stroke, heart failure and/or death.