How To Avoid AFib After Heart Surgery – Health Essentials

Days into recovery from heart surgery, an odd feeling may hit your chest. Your once steady heartbeat lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub might suddenly switch to the chaotic rhythm of an elementary school band.

This erratic and irregular heartbeat is called atrial fibrillation, or AFib. Its a common and frightening symptom affecting up to 55% of patients after cardiac surgery, according to some estimates.

So, is there a way to reduce your risk of developing AFib and the complications that can come with it? Lets look at options with cardiothoracic surgeon Edward Soltesz, MD.

Its believed that inflammation in the chest following heart surgery contributes to AFib within a week after the procedure, says Dr. Soltesz. But the exact trigger for AFib remains unclear.

AFib is basically a malfunction of your hearts electrical system, which powers the steady contractions that pump blood through your body. Most peoples heart rates are between 60 and 100 beats per minute. But AFib brings a series of rapid, chaotic pulses that upset your hearts rhythm and drive it higher or lower. When this happens, your heart doesnt contract effectively which means blood isnt squeezed out properly.

Some cases of AFib can be mild enough to go unnoticed. More severe cases of AFib, however, can lead to fatigue, chest pains (angina) and whats described as a feeling of butterflies in your chest.

Prevent may be too strong a word regarding your ability to ward off the development of AFib, but here are four steps you can take ahead of heart surgery to reduce your risk, according to Dr. Soltesz:

If you get AFib, various treatments and medications are available to help get your heart back into its proper rhythm.

Regaining control is important. Untreated AFib can increase your risk of blood clots and stroke. (Fast fact: AFib causes about 1 in 7 strokes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)

Over time, AFibcan weaken your heart and open the door to heartfailure.

AFib can occur sporadically or persistently and if it happens once, its more likely to happen again, states Dr. Soltesz. Talk to your physician before and after surgery about your potential risks and what you can do to decrease them.

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How To Avoid AFib After Heart Surgery - Health Essentials