Atrial Fibrillation Complications: An Overview
While the atria (upper chambers of the heart) are fibrillating, less blood gets pumped out of the ventricles to the rest of your body. Blood delivers the oxygen and nutrients that the cells in your body need. If less blood is pumped out of the heart, less fuel is available when the body needs it, so you may feel tired and short of breath. And it can significantly interfere with your daily activities, not only because you may not have enough energy, but because episodes of atrial fibrillation aren't predictable and they can be quite frightening.
Atrial fibrillation can also lead to more serious health problems if it isn't treated. Because of this, people with atrial fibrillation are twice as likely to die prematurely as people with a normal heart rhythm. Since all of your cells depend on your heart for blood and nourishment, atrial fibrillation can affect your entire body.
Serious atrial fibrillation complications include:
Blood clots
Pulmonary embolism
Stroke
Congestive heart failure.
Atrial Fibrillation Complications: Blood Clots
When the atria quiver instead of contracting normally, more blood often gets left behind instead of being pumped into the ventricles. When blood pools like this inside the atria, it can trigger the formation of unwanted clots. These clots can break off, travel throughout your blood vessels, and then become stuck -- decreasing the amount of blood that flows through the vessel.
Any tissue that has its blood flow reduced or completely blocked off can be damaged. This can happen, for example, in an arm, a leg, or an internal organ.
Atrial Fibrillation Complications: Pulmonary Embolism and Stroke
When a clot becomes lodged in the blood vessels of your lungs and blocks blood flow, it's called a pulmonary embolism. When this happens in a part of the brain and causes tissue death, it's called a stroke. People who have atrial fibrillation are 5 times more likely to have a stroke than people who have a normal heart rhythm.
Atrial Fibrillation Complications: Congestive Heart Failure
Persistent or frequent periods of atrial fibrillation that last for a few months or longer can cause the walls of the heart chambers to become stretched out. This makes the heart weaker, and can lead to a condition called congestive heart failure.
When this happens, your heart can no longer pump enough blood to meet your body's needs, and fluid can become backed up in several places. The feet, legs, and abdomen can all become swollen from excess fluid. This fluid can also accumulate in the lungs, making it harder to breathe.
While the atria (upper chambers of the heart) are fibrillating, less blood gets pumped out of the ventricles to the rest of your body. Blood delivers the oxygen and nutrients that the cells in your body need. If less blood is pumped out of the heart, less fuel is available when the body needs it, so you may feel tired and short of breath. And it can significantly interfere with your daily activities, not only because you may not have enough energy, but because episodes of atrial fibrillation aren't predictable and they can be quite frightening.
Atrial fibrillation can also lead to more serious health problems if it isn't treated. Because of this, people with atrial fibrillation are twice as likely to die prematurely as people with a normal heart rhythm. Since all of your cells depend on your heart for blood and nourishment, atrial fibrillation can affect your entire body.
Serious atrial fibrillation complications include:
Blood clots
Pulmonary embolism
Stroke
Congestive heart failure.
Atrial Fibrillation Complications: Blood Clots
When the atria quiver instead of contracting normally, more blood often gets left behind instead of being pumped into the ventricles. When blood pools like this inside the atria, it can trigger the formation of unwanted clots. These clots can break off, travel throughout your blood vessels, and then become stuck -- decreasing the amount of blood that flows through the vessel.
Any tissue that has its blood flow reduced or completely blocked off can be damaged. This can happen, for example, in an arm, a leg, or an internal organ.
Atrial Fibrillation Complications: Pulmonary Embolism and Stroke
When a clot becomes lodged in the blood vessels of your lungs and blocks blood flow, it's called a pulmonary embolism. When this happens in a part of the brain and causes tissue death, it's called a stroke. People who have atrial fibrillation are 5 times more likely to have a stroke than people who have a normal heart rhythm.
Atrial Fibrillation Complications: Congestive Heart Failure
Persistent or frequent periods of atrial fibrillation that last for a few months or longer can cause the walls of the heart chambers to become stretched out. This makes the heart weaker, and can lead to a condition called congestive heart failure.
When this happens, your heart can no longer pump enough blood to meet your body's needs, and fluid can become backed up in several places. The feet, legs, and abdomen can all become swollen from excess fluid. This fluid can also accumulate in the lungs, making it harder to breathe.
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