Atrial Fibrillation

The heart is one of the most important organs inside a the human body. This complex organ helps circulate the life keeping substance without which our muscles or organs would not be able to function. Having such an important role in the human body, the heart is very sensible and it can suffer from many diseases due to many situations intro which people are putting it. The main causes of heart problems are: bad diet, lack of exercise, alcohol, drugs, cigarettes and stress. The heart beats at an average of 60 beats per minute and it decreases when we sit down or sleep and it increases when we exercise. The speed at which the heart beats is influenced by the Sinoatrial node which sends electrical signals which cause the atria to contract and pump blood intro the ventricle which also contracts and pumps the blood around the body. Atrial Fibrillation is the most common abnormality into the heart rhythm and it is caused by Sinoatrial node not functioning properly and the electrical signals coming not only from it but from other parts of the atria. The electrical discharges coming from other parts of the atria are very rapid and very irregular, sometimes exceeding 350 discharges per minute. These discharges can cause ineffective contractions of the atria, causing it to quiver rather than beat as a single unit, reducing the ability of this part of the heart to pump blood into the ventricles and around the body. There is another part of the heart, the Atrioventricular node, a node by which the electrical discharges go before reaching the ventricle. This node serves as a electrical relay station between the atria and the ventricle. Heart rate during atrial fibrillation In a normal heart beat, the rate of the ventricular contraction is the same as the rate of atrial contraction, keeping a balanced and controlled heart tare. In atrial fibrillation, the rate of ventricular contraction is less than the rate of atrial contraction, this being determined by the speed of the transmission of the atrial electrical discharges through the atrioventricular node.

Vasioiu Mihaela

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Symptoms This condition does not necessarily have any symptoms in some patients and they are unaware of the abnormal heart rhythm. The most common symptoms: palpitations dizziness fainting weakness fatigue shortness of breath

Some of these symptoms are caused by the fact that atrial fibrillation diminishes delivery of blood to the body, causing it to feel uncomfortable and giving away signs. Although there are very many people living with this disease and not knowing it, there are very large chances this disease can cause permanent damage to one or even death. There have commonly been cases reported of heart failure, in which case the heart pumps irregular amounts of blood into the body, causing edemas which is a condition where the fluid accumulates into the lower legs of into the lungs in which case it is called a pulmonary edema. Strokes are also common in people with atrial fibrillation, this being described as blood stagnating inside the atria, this tends to form blood cloths and block the heart causing death. This disorder is diagnosed using an EKG (electrocardiogram) which shows a recording of the heart's electrical discharges, holter monitors, echocardiography or physical examinations, testing the patient's ability to take some exercise. Prevention This disease can be prevented and one can stop it from occurring by having a well balanced diet, exercising, avoiding sitting down a lot, keeping out of stressful environments and avoiding excessive alcohol or drugs use.

Vasioiu Mihaela

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