According to Brunner et al., the most common dysrhythmia in patients with cardiac arrest is ventricular fibrillation, which is rapid, disorganized ventricular rhythm that causes ineffective quivering of the ventricles. No atrial activity is seen on the ECG. The following characteristics that constitute ventricular fibrillation are, ventricular rate is greater than 300 beats per minute. Ventricular rhythm is extremely irregular and without a specific pattern. QRS shape and duration are irregular, undulating waves without recognizable QRS complexes.
Arrhythmia is one of the diseases in which a pacemaker will be needed, but there are some different types of Arrhythmia, these include:
The heart is one of the most important organs in an organism’s body, no matter if they are aquatic, amphibian, or a mammal. This super organ works automatically, able to pump massive amounts of oxygen rich blood through the body by means of electrical impulses and the opening and closing of valves within its many layers. It is what keeps us and every other creature on this earth alive; so it is only natural for one to fear when there might be a problem with one’s heart. A cardiac arrhythmia can happen to anyone, no matter the age, race, or gender, and as such, doctors and scientist have spent years trying to better understand the heart and the way it functions so that they can try to prevent these problems and save millions of lives.
Radio Frequency Cardiac Ablation Therapy as First Line Treatment for Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation vs. Anti-Arrhythmic Drug Therapy.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a cardiac arrhythmia. It is the most common arrhythmia and it has implications for patients and anaesthetists alike. The anaesthetist must take into consideration the physiological and pharmacological implications of this common arrhythmia.
Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is defined as an irregular heartbeat, often of a rapid rate, that causes insufficient blood flow to the body. During atrial fibrillation, the upper chambers of the heart (atria) beat chaotically and out of synchronization with the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles). Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmia, affecting more than 2 million people in the United States, with an estimated 150,000 new cases being diagnosed each year (Shea and Sears, 2008). The Chronic Illness Trajectory Framework, developed by Corbin and Strauss, focuses on the patient living with atrial fibrillation and the ability to manage the course of the illness based on
Today millions of Americans live or have lived with Atrial fibrillation. The main concern with this health issue is that many people who lived with it sometimes are not aware of it. Atrial fibrillation is defined by Mayo Clinic (2012) as “an irregular and often rapid heart rate that commonly causes poor blood flow to the body”. It occurs when the four chambers of the heart have a disrupted rhythm. The abnormal functionality of health may lead to a stroke because of the possible blood clot that will be formed. The Atrial fibrillation or Afib put the body in a situation without oxygen and nutrients because the body is not well supplied by a heart that is became weak. In general, only few people will feel change in their heartbeat. They may verbalize
This case study discusses the management of a 68 year old male who presented with chest palpitations secondary to rapid atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a common cardiac arrhythmia with serious complications if not treated correctly. This essay will discuss the initial clinical presentation of the patient and examine the management and outcome of the interventions applied. The significance of atrial fibrillation including its pathophysiology and aetiology will also be discussed.
Atril fibrillation, also known as Afib, causes problems with the heart's electrical impulse system resulting in an Afib irregular heartbeat. The most common type of heartbeat problem, Afib affects 2.2 million people in the United States.
Atrial flutter is when the heartbeat is fast but regular. There are two types of atrial flutter:
Most physicians and people who acquired the problem usually know it as A-FIB, a shorter term for atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation deals with the cardiovascular system, in particular, the heart in the body. It is defined as, “the electrical signals that control this system are off-kilter. Instead of working together the atria do their own thing, causing fast fluttering heartbeat, also known as arrhythmia” (WEBMD). In a normal pumping blood of the heart the atria would squeeze first, followed by the ventricles of the heart. A-fib can be a serious issue if not treated, due to the inadequate pumping of the blood, causing a higher chance of heart failure. It is also a higher chance in getting a stroke, because improper flow of the blood can cause clots in the
Atrial fibrillation is the most frequent cardiac arrhythmia. There has always associated risk of clot formation and embolization that can lead to ischemic stroke. A large number of these ischemic events could be prevented by timely anticoagulation. Warfarin has been used for decades for this purpose, but there are many problems for the patients due to warfarin therapy like there is continuous need of INR monitoring, many food and drug interactions of the drug, late onset of action and risk of major bleeding. Anticoagulation with the Novel oral anticoagulants e.g. Dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, endoxaban led to similar or even lower rates of ischemic stroke and major bleeding compared to an adjusted dose of warfarin (INR 2-3) in patients
Atrial fibrillation can cause significant discomfort (particularly if one has a lot of symptoms) and this may reduce one’s ability to exercise and do daily activities which may affect one’s life. Alternative, atrial fibrillation may not affect one’s day-to-day life. Atrial fibrillation is associated with a decrease in the heart’s ability to pump blood (it can result in the development of heart failure), which can affect one’s quality of life, increase the likelihood of being admitted to hospital and reduce one’s life expectancy. Atrial fibrillation itself does not pose a direct and immediate risk of death and many patients live with the arrhythmia for decades. However, atrial fibrillation can lead to serious complications. These possible complications
Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) is the most common heart rhythm disorder in the US. More than three million people suffer from AFIb. Each year, approximately one hundred and twenty thousand Americans experience an ischemic stroke due to AFib. That accounts for more than 25% of all incidents of stroke from all causes. The incidence of stroke in people with AFib is five times higher than in those who do not have the ailment.
If this were to happen over a long period of time it can lead to an overall decreased cardiac output. Aside from the decreased cardiac output, a potential for blood clots is now present since there is pooling in the atria chambers (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2013). Stress, surgery, lung disease, and hypertension, are just a few concerns that can lead to atrial fibrillation (Cleveland Clinic, 2014) Atrial Fibrillation is divided into three categories: Paroxysmal, which is where heart beat becomes irregular all of a sudden and then corrects itself quickly; Persistent, where the irregular heart rate occurs for more than a week, and either clears up on its own or with treatment; and Permanent, which is where a normal heart rhythm cannot be reestablished with treatment (Cleveland Clinic, 2014). Symptoms of atrial fibrillation can vary depending on the person, and the severity of the dysrhythmia. Because decreased cardiac output over a period of time is something to worry about, it is important to assess the patient for fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, dizziness, anxiety, syncope, palpitations, chest pain, and hypotension. Some patients are even asymptomatic (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2013).