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Atrial Fibrillation - Health Tips
Atrial Fibrillation is the most common abnormal heart rhythm affecting nearly 2.7 million Americans. Alexander Wohler, MD, FACS, Cardiothoracic Surgery, St. Joseph's Healthcare System is here to discuss treatment options for Atrial Fibrillation.
Patients with a-fib are five times more likely to have a stroke than the general population. At least one of every three patients with a-fib will have a stroke in their lifetime. Strokes caused by a-fib are usually more serious and more likely to be fatal as compared to strokes from other causes. It is important to realize that a-fib is a serious problem that significantly increases the risk of disability, major strokes and death. Sometimes a-fib is associated with other heart conditions such as problems with valves of the heart.
Atrial Fibrillation Symptoms include palpitations (heart fluttering), fainting, fatigue, and shortness of breath (especially with exercise). Multiple treatment options are available that range from medications with limited success to surgery which is called a Maze procedure. Many times people with a-fib need heart surgery for other reasons and a MAZE procedure is done as part of the operation.
In select centers minimally invasive MAZE procedures are also available, especially for those who don't require open heart surgery. These procedures are done with a small camera, or scope, have very small incisions and are very well tolerated. The MAZE procedures are highly effective, with up to a 90% success rate in appropriately selected patients. Many patients are free from atrial fibrillation permanently as a result of the surgery and may be able to be free of all medications for a-fib, including blood-thinners.
While not many institutions are performing these procedures, they are available at: St. Joseph's Cardiac Arrhythmia Surgery Service.
A wide range of services are available for patients with atrial fibrillation, we encourage you to look into options and discuss them with your physician.
