If you’re one of the 2.7 million people in the United States with atrial fibrillation, you can find help at Houston Cardiology in Southwest Houston, Texas. Board-certified cardiac electrophysiologist, Khuyen Do, MD, and his team offer the latest diagnostic technologies to determine the root cause of your atrial fibrillation. Dr. Do also works with your primary care physician and other providers to provide you with comprehensive treatment and resources for restoring a healthy heart rhythm. If your heart is skipping beats or you have unexplained chronic fatigue, schedule atrial fibrillation testing by calling Houston Cardiology today
Atrial Fibrillation Q & A
What is atrial fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) describes an arrhythmia, which is an irregular heartbeat. In a healthy heart, the muscles contract and relax in a rhythmic beat.
With AFib, the atria, which are the two upper chambers of your heart, begin to quiver abnormally instead of in rhythm, disrupting the flow of blood into the lower chambers called ventricles. The quivering is a result of dysfunction in the electrical signals of the heart, which can be the result of:
- Infections
- Heart attack
- Heart defects
- High blood pressure
- Coronary artery disease
If a blood clot forms and travels out into the bloodstream, it can obstruct an artery that leads to your brain and cause a stroke. AFib can also lead to heart failure and other chronic cardiovascular conditions.
What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?
Many people have atrial fibrillation without any noticeable symptoms. For this reason, the Houston Cardiology team often identifies the condition during diagnostic testing for other conditions.
If you have symptoms of atrial fibrillation, you may experience:
Dizziness Chest pains Chronic fatigue Heart palpitations General weakness Shortness of breath
Your symptoms may appear on occasion or become persistent. To protect the health of your heart, you should schedule an evaluation with Dr. Do as soon as possible.
How is atrial fibrillation diagnosed?
Diagnosing atrial fibrillation requires heart testing and a review of your medical history and overall health. Your Houston Cardiology provider may order tests like a Holter monitor or electrocardiogram (ECG), which record your heart activity through a series of sensors that attach to your skin.
You may also need an echocardiogram, a noninvasive diagnostic test that uses sound waves to create images of your heart structures. Your provider can identify blockages and other abnormalities that may cause atrial fibrillation.
Based on the results of your tests, your Houston Cardiology doctor works with you to create a treatment plan to reset the rhythm of your heart. They have extensive experience in treating both new-onset and persistent AFib.
How is atrial fibrillation treated?
To ensure the best outcome, your provider at Houston Cardiology takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating AFib. They may recommend medications to restore your normal heartbeat. Houston Cardiology also offers state-of-the-art ablations for treating simple and complex AFib. Ablation procedures involve destroying tissue surrounding your heart that’s causing atrial fibrillation.
Your cardiologist also works with your primary care physician, a pulmonologist, and a nutritionist to treat any other underlying factors that contribute to your irregular heart rhythm. They focus on reducing your risk factors for other heart-related complications and improving your overall health.
If you experience heart palpitations or skipped heartbeats, schedule a consultation by calling Houston Cardiology today.