The most commonly used drug has been warfarin. People taking warfarin must be closely monitored to make sure their blood is thin enough to prevent clots, but not so thin as to promote bleeding.
Since some foods, vitamin supplements, and medications can affect warfarin action, keeping the blood just thin enough can be tricky. More recently, a number of new blood thinners, including dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban, have been shown to be as effective as warfarin in stroke prevention. These newer medications do not require regular blood test monitoring and may have less tendency to cause bleeding due to making the blood too thin. Some individuals with AF may have a lower risk of stroke and may be treated with aspirin, either alone or with another antiplatelet agency like clopidogrel.
Other treatments for AF include medications such as beta blockers or calcium channel blockers to slow the heartbeat, and anti-arrhythmic drugs or electrical cardioversion which delivers an electrical shock to the heart to normalize the heartbeat.
AF, which affects as many as 2. The risk increases with age. In people over 80 years old, AF is the direct cause of 1 in 4 strokes. Questions to Ask Your Doctor. What do I need to know in the event of a stroke? What treatment options can help reduce my stroke risk? Do I need a blood thinner and, if so, what kind? What are the alternatives to blood thinners? What are the risks and benefits of these treatment options? Are there lifestyle changes I can make to help reduce my stroke risk?
Answer a few questions and get a customized guide. References National Stroke Association. Making the Afib-Stroke Connection. Published Accessed September 1, Harvard Health Publications. Atrial fibrillation. Harvard University Medical School. Published November Accessed August 25, Appendage obliteration to reduce stroke in cardiac surgical patients with atrial fibrillation. Ann Thorac Surg. Cleveland Clinic. Atrial fibrillation Afib.
Published May American Stroke Association website. American Heart Association. Read more about healthy lifestyle choices that can help reduce your risk of a stroke. Call if you think you are having a stroke. Home What is stroke? Diagnosis to discharge Childhood stroke Living with stroke After hospital discharge Effects of stroke Aphasia and communication Fatigue and tiredness Stroke publications Know your risk Are you at risk of stroke?
Atrial fibrillation Are you at risk of stroke? Are you at risk of stroke? High blood pressure 3. Atrial fibrillation 4. Diabetes 5. High cholesterol 6.
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What is atrial fibrillation? Example of an AF heartbeat. Atrial fibrillation symptoms. Some common symptoms of AF include: Palpitations being aware of your heart beating fast. Chest pain. Treatment Your treatment will be based on your risks, medical profile, needs, preferences and how much symptoms are interfering with your quality of life.
Rate control Almost every patient with atrial fibrillation will be prescribed a medication to slow their heart rate. For some people, this type of medication is enough to control their symptoms. Rhythm control This is an attempt to prevent an irregular heartbeat by restoring and maintaining a normal, regular heartbeat.
The first step is medication to prevent the Afib from occurring. Some patients may also require electrical cardioversion. This is a controlled electric shock to the heart to restore a normal rhythm.
On rare occasions medications and electrical cardioversion do not work. You may be referred to a specialist and considered for an electrophysiology study and catheter ablation to stop the Afib from recurring.
Medications The medications used for atrial fibrillation are: Blood thinners reduce the risk of stroke. An anti-platelet like ASA Aspirin or an anticoagulant like warfarin prevents clots from forming and travelling to the brain and causing a stroke.
Beta blockers and calcium channel blockers help slow the heart rate and allow it fill properly with blood. Anti-arrhythmics and digoxin are drugs that prevent abnormal heartbeats and help restore normal rhythm. Surgeries and other procedures Cardioversion therapy Electrical pulses are sent through paddles to the heart to jolt the heart back into normal rhythm.
Cardioversion is similar to defibrillation, but uses much lower levels of electricity. EPS testing is used to locate the site of the irregular electrical impulses in the heart.
Catheter ablation is then performed to destroy — through tiny burns — the electrically chaotic heart tissue. Ablation creates scars in the heart that stabilize the electrical short circuits. Implantable pacemaker is a surgically implanted device that helps regulate heart rate and rhythm by using electrical pulses to prompt the heart to beat at a normal rhythm. Most patients go on to lead good quality lives.
Afib is a problem, but it is treatable and controllable. Lifestyle You can lower your risk of developing other heart diseases and stroke by knowing and controlling your blood pressure, diabetes and blood cholesterol. Be smoke-free. Be more active. Aim for a healthy weight. Eat a healthy balanced diet — here are some specific diets you can follow that have been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Drink less alcohol. Manage stress.
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