Do you know about atrial fibrillation?

That strange, fluttery feeling in your chest could be serious.

It could be atrial fibrillation (A-fib), a type of abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) that causes the heart to pump blood ineffectively. A-fib is the most common type of persistent heart arrhythmia and it affects almost 5 million Americans.

Dr. Luis Pires

So what is it?

A-fib occurs when the heart’s electrical impulses lose their regular rhythm. Normally, these impulses come from the sinus node (a group of heart cells in the wall of the right atrium that act as a kind of pacemaker).  During A-fib, the heart’s electrical impulses come from other parts of the atria (the upper chambers of the heart). This causes the impulses to be very rapid (more than 300 beats per minute) and uneven.

In response to these impulses, the atria contract quickly and unevenly. They tend to quiver, or fibrillate, disrupting the heart’s regular rhythms. This means the atria aren’t pumping forcefully, so they aren’t able to pump blood to the body’s other organs the way they should.

Sometimes, the impulses cross to the heart’s ventricles (the main pumping chambers below the atria). This causes them to beat rapidly and irregularly as well.

What does it feel like?

Sometimes people with A-fib don’t notice anything, while others may feel a fast, uncomfortable heartbeat. Sometimes this is described as a “flopping” or “fluttering” in the chest. Other symptoms may include dizziness, sweating, chest pain or pressure.

What can happen?

Since blood is not being pumped properly, some of it can get left behind in the atria and form blood clots. This may ultimately cause a stroke. The American Heart Association warns that the risk of stroke for people with A-fib is about five times higher than in people without it. If you are over age 65, the risk is even higher.

Can it be treated?

Yes. Usually A-fib can be controlled with treatment that may include medications, surgery or other types of procedures.

McLaren Macomb’s new Heart Rhythm Treatment Center is helping people to manage A-fib with advanced procedures such as cardioversion, a small electrical shock to the heart, or catheter ablation, the insertion of a thin wire to the heart. This delivers radiofrequency energy to destroy abnormal electrical cells.

At McLaren Macomb, Dr. Luis Pires, a board-certified and fellowship-trained cardiac electrophysiologist, helps to diagnose irregular heartbeat conditions.

“Our center is the only facility in Macomb County to offer complete electrophysiology services,” Dr. Pires said. “These are imperative to detecting and treating a range of arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation.”

Want to learn more?

Dr. Pires will host a free Atrial Fibrillation Seminar at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3 in the Auditorium of McLaren Macomb (enter at the outpatient entrance). Dr. Pires will discuss the latest treatment options for managing this common heart rhythm abnormality.

Registration is required. Please call
(855) 362-5273 or visit mclaren-afib.eventbrite.com.

See a specialist

If you or someone you love may be at risk, contact the Heart Rhythm Treatment Center at (586) 466-4810. You can also learn more by clicking here. Or, call (855) 466-2527 to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced cardiologists at McLaren Macomb’s Mat Gaberty Heart Center.