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The idea of having a heart procedure was scary , but the reality is that it ’ s life-changing , My AFib was gone after I had the ablation procedure .” – Foster
own , but others may need treatment for paroxysmal AFib , including cardioversion , beta blockers and other medications .
When irregular heart rhythms last for more than a week , the condition is known as persistent AFib . If the heart rhythms don ’ t return to normal on their own , patients may need medication or catheter ablation ( this procedure involves threading a catheter through a patient ’ s leg up to the heart and cauterising the tissue in the heart that ’ s causing the AFib ).
If a patient is experiencing abnormal heart rhythms that lasts more than a year without getting better , then they might have long-term persistent AFib . The condition is considered permanent AFib when irregular heart rhythms don ’ t improve , even after taking medication or getting a catheter ablation . Some treatments and lifestyle changes may slow symptoms and help patients manage the condition . 3 . There are many risk factors for AFib Anyone can get AFib , but the risk increases after the age of 65 . People are also at a greater risk if they have a family member diagnosed with AFib . In addition to age and genetics , certain lifestyle factors like drinking alcohol excessively , smoking and stress may also up the odds , says Dr Gidney .
People with existing medical conditions , such as high blood pressure , sleep apnea , diabetes , obesity and coronary disease are also more likely to get AFib , since these health conditions may affect the structure of the heart and its functioning , making irregular heartbeats more likely . The good news is that “ if you work to treat those underlying problems , a lot of times it reduces the risk for AFib or improves AFib symptoms ,” Dr Porter says .
Perhaps surprisingly , many elite athletes who participate in endurance sports , like running and cycling , are also at a higher risk for AFib . “ We see people in their 20s who are incredibly fit with AFib ,” Dr Gidney says .
“ While these athletes might have genetic risk factors , intense , prolonged exercise can change the structure of their heart and make some chambers larger . That structural change can put more demand on the heart and raise their risk of AFib .
And some people who get AFib and have no risk factors , says Dr Porter .
In certain cases , it ’ s possible to prevent AFib by adopting heart-healthy habits , including maintaining a healthy weight , lowering your blood pressure , limiting alcohol , quitting smoking , reducing stress and getting treated for sleep apnea . 4 . If not treated - or not treated properly - AFib can lead to serious health consequences When AFib isn ’ t treated , it can get worse . “ AFib is a progressive problem ,” explains Dr Porter . Prolonged AFib can damage the structure of the heart and lead to blood clots in the heart , putting patients at a five times higher risk for stroke and heart failure .
AFib may also affect quality of life ;
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A Qdot Micro Catheter .
the symptoms of fatigue , shortness of breath and limited physical ability may affect individuals carrying out their daily responsibilities and other tasks , such as exercising or caring for loved ones .
After her AFib diagnosis , Foster tried multiple medications for about 10 months , but none of them helped her manage her symptoms . She says her normal heart rate is about 60 beats per minute , but it would jump to 150 to 200 from one beat to the next .
Sometimes her heart would race during the night while she was sleeping and would wake her up . Foster remembers having to sit at an important work meeting for hours while “ my heart was pumping out of my chest .”
AFib consumed her thoughts and everything she did . “ I never knew when it was going to happen ,” Foster says of dealing with the daily heart rhythm fluctuations . “ It would stop me in my tracks .” 5 . Innovation in AFib treatment and diagnostics is more important than ever With five million new AFib cases diagnosed each year and the disease ’ s progressive nature , innovation in diagnosing and treating AFib patients is crucial .
The first step during a catheter ablation procedure ? Identifying the areas of the heart that are beating irregularly .
Doctors do this by inserting a catheter into the heart , which sweeps through the organ to find the locations that need treatment - a process that requires extreme precision . A diagnostic catheter from Johnson & Johnson MedTech is helping doctors perform this task more efficiently and effectively .
The Octaray™ Mapping Catheter with Trueref™ Technology features more mapping electrodes than most other catheters , as well as reduced electrode size and tight electrode spacing . This enables physicians to map arrhythmias in any chamber of the heart more quickly and
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Kathy Foster with her doctor . |
with more precise information - all leading to greater accuracy .
“ We can effectively use this catheter in areas where , previously , we were guessing in terms of how much tissue to get rid of ,” Dr Gidney says .
Another diagnostic catheter , the Optrell™ Mapping Catheter with Trueref™ Technology , features small electrodes that map complex cardiac arrhythmia cases like AFib . This catheter may help clinicians better understand complex cases to quickly identify areas that need treatment with ablation .
Once an arrhythmia is mapped , physicians often turn to ablation to treat it . This involves inserting a catheter into blood vessels to the heart and using targeted areas of radiofrequency to generate intense heat . This creates scars , which block abnormal electrical impulses and restore regular heartbeats .
The size of the tip of a pencil eraser , the Qdot Micro™ Catheter was designed to deliver high-power , temperaturecontrolled ablation in a short amount of time , allowing for more efficient ablation . In one study , 86 per cent patients treated with the Qdot Micro Catheter didn ’ t see their symptoms recur for 12 months - an improvement over other previous Biosense Webster catheters .
Currently in clinical development is the new Pulsed Field Ablation ( PFA ) technology , which is designed to treat recurrent paroxysmal AFib . The PFA uses a controlled electric field to ablate cardiac tissue , which can potentially reduce the risk of damage to the esophagus , veins and nerves pertinent to other ablation catheters .
Innovations in AFib diagnosis and treatment help reduce procedure times and patient risks , says Dr Porter . Patients don ’ t need as much anaesthesia , see less radiation exposure and often return to their daily routines the following day .
“ It ’ s very gratifying to be able to give people their lives back ,” says Dr Porter . It ’ s something Foster can relate to .
After several months of taking medication and still experiencing symptoms , in February 2020 Foster ’ s cardiologist referred her to an electrophysiologist , who recommended catheter ablation .
“ The idea of having a heart procedure was scary , but the reality is that it ’ s lifechanging ,” says Foster . “ My AFib was gone after I had the ablation procedure .”
While she still visits her electrophysiologist once a year for a checkup , Foster says she hasn ’ t felt symptoms in the three years since the procedure . “ It ’ s as if I never had it .” – The Health
This article appeared recently on the website of Johnson & Johnson
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