How atrial fibrillation affects heart failure

How atrial fibrillation affects heart failure


How atrial fibrillation affects heart failure

Dr. Shannon Dunlay explains how an irregular heart rhythm can affect someone who has heart failure on House Calls: Real Docs, Real Talk.

House Calls: Real Docs, Real Talk episodes feature conversations with American Heart Association staff and medical experts on topics important to heart attack and stroke patients, or anyone looking to live a longer, healthier life.


Content

0.14 -> - Atrial fibrillation is a really common condition.
2.33 -> It basically is an abnormal heart rhythm,
6.1 -> where the top chambers of the heart,
7.73 -> they're called the atria,
9.1 -> they are beating really fast and irregularly.
12.41 -> And the bottom chambers of the heart can't really keep up,
14.88 -> so they're sort of beating irregularly too.
17.6 -> When this happens,
18.64 -> and your heart rate is going fast for a long period of time,
22.01 -> sometimes that can trigger the onset of heart failure,
25.45 -> or if you already have heart failure,
27.07 -> it might make your symptoms worse.
28.93 -> Those things like shortness of breath and retaining fluid.
32.13 -> We also know that people with heart failure
34.52 -> are at higher risk for developing atrial fibrillation.
38.75 -> They share some of those common risk factors,
41.12 -> things like diabetes and high blood pressure.
43.41 -> So, that's a little bit about
45.99 -> what atrial fibrillation is and how it can affect
48.44 -> your heart failure.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT13KyR2rW8