The formation of electrical short circuits inside the heart’s upper chambers leads to atrial fibrillation. These electrical interruptions usually start in the upper room on the left (left atrium). In most cases, they form by aberrant electrical activity inside the veins carrying blood from the lungs to the heart (pulmonary veins). The quick short circuits have various repercussions, including the following: The pumping chambers are driven unpredictably and irregularly by the short circuits. Heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and fatigue are all side effects of this. Additionally, it may induce chest discomfort and vertigo in some individuals. In most cases, it will lessen your exercise ability or physical capacity. However, the rhythm abnormality does not risk the patient’s life.
Due to the short circuits, pumping the higher chambers is inefficient. Because of this, blood flow in both of these higher chambers is slowed down (the left and right atria). It has a shallow risk of causing blood clots, but it does increase the risk of stroke. Because of this, many people with atrial fibrillation or AF Ablation will need a blood thinner, although this is not the case for all of them. It may be aspirin, it could be warfarin, or it could even be one of the newer drugs (Pradaxa, Xarelto or Eliquis).
What causes a person to have atrial fibrillation?
It is unknown what causes atrial fibrillation in the majority of patients who are diagnosed with the condition. In most cases, the heart is healthy despite the symptoms. Other diseases, like high blood pressure(high), a history of heart attack, leaky heart valves, weak heart, sleep apnea or obesity, may sometimes lead to atrial fibrillation in some individuals.
What exactly happens during a technique known as radiofrequency ablation?
After being examined on the ward, you will head to the Electrophysiology Laboratory, also known as the EP lab. Before you are allowed to leave the ward, you may have to shave your groin. The electrophysiology lab has a patient table, an X-Ray tube, ECG monitors, and other apparatus. The individuals working in the laboratory will all wear appropriate garb for a hospital operating room. Your chest will have several electrodes for ECG monitoring, and patches will be placed on your back, chest, and chest region. These patches could briefly leave your skin with a chilly sensation.
What exactly takes place throughout the process of radiofrequency ablation?
Medications that thin the blood will be given to the patient during and after the surgery. During the surgery, a specialised ultrasonography probe will be positioned in the patient’s oesophagus to monitor the patient’s heart (swallowing tube). This kind of echocardiogram is known as a transesophageal echocardiogram. Before, during, and after the surgery, this captures high-quality images of the patient’s heart. It will be gone by the time you wake up the next day.
Conclusion
The ablation treatment for atrial fibrillation is intended to alleviate your symptoms and improve your overall quality of life. However, since the treatment entails a slight risk of a catastrophic complication, one must only prescribe it to persons with recurrent bouts of atrial fibrillation or chronic atrial fibrillation, both of which considerably affect the patient’s quality of life. People with little or no symptoms or who believe that the problem is simply a somewhat bothersome inconvenience are not good candidates for treating AF Ablation; thus, one should not propose it to them. In most cases, one would also advise starting with a trial of medicine since some individuals’ symptoms may be effectively managed with pills.
