Atrial Fibrillation

Heart Skipping Beats? - When Should You See a Heart Specialist in India?

If your heart sometimes feels like it is fluttering, racing, or skipping beats, you may be experiencing atrial fibrillation. This short explains the condition and its management.

Understanding atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is the most common type of heart rhythm disturbance. It causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate.

• What happens. The heart's upper chambers, the atria, beat chaotically and out of sync with the lower chambers, the ventricles. This can lead to a rapid, irregular pulse.
• Common symptoms. You may feel heart palpitations, shortness of breath, tiredness, or dizziness. Some people, however, have no symptoms at all.
• Associated risks. AFib can increase the risk of blood clots forming in the heart, which may travel to the brain and cause a stroke. It can also lead to heart failure over time.

Approaches to treatment

Treatment goals are to restore a normal heart rhythm, control the heart rate, and prevent blood clots.

• Medications. Medicines can be used to control the heart's rate or rhythm. Blood-thinning medication, or anticoagulants, are often prescribed to reduce the risk of stroke.
• Cardioversion. This procedure uses a controlled electric shock to restore a normal heart rhythm. It is usually planned in advance and performed under sedation.
• Catheter ablation. In this minimally invasive procedure, a specialist uses thin tubes called catheters to create tiny scars on the heart tissue, blocking the faulty electrical signals.
• Pacemaker insertion. If AFib causes a slow heart rate, or if medications to control the rhythm cause the heart to beat too slowly, a pacemaker may be implanted.

The most suitable treatment for atrial fibrillation depends on your specific symptoms, the type of AFib you have, and your overall health. A specialist can recommend the best approach after reviewing your medical reports and recent investigations.