LeRoy Buehler started to notice it was taking much more time and effort to complete common tasks around the house and in his hobbies.
"It took an hour and 45 minutes to do a 15-minute job. I just didn’t have any breath."
When things got serious, he contacted his doctor and was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib.
What is atrial fibrillation?
AFib is an irregular heart rhythm that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. At least 2.7 million Americans are living with AFib, according to the American Heart Association. It’s a chaotic heart rhythm that originates in the top chambers of the heart. Untreated atrial fibrillation doubles the risk of heart-related deaths and is associated with a five-fold increased risk of stroke.
“Your heart is going much faster and very irregularly for a prolonged period of time when you’re at rest,” says cardiac electrophysiologist Victor Abrich, MD, who specializes in heart rhythm disorders. “Just imagine if you were forced to be on a treadmill for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and not allowed to rest. That’s what happening to the heart if you’re in uncontrolled atrial fibrillation for a prolonged period.”
How do I know if I have AFib?
Afib is commonly diagnosed in the emergency department. Symptoms can include:
- Feeling tired
- Lightheaded
- Shortness of breath
- Chest discomfort
AFib usually develops later in life when someone is in their 50s and 60s. But as Dr. Abrich notes, there are some underlying risk factors that lead to the development of this arrythmia.
“The most common is high blood pressure and undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea, which is a condition where your airways collapse during sleep causing your body to stimulate you to wake up. These bursts of adrenaline over time can lead this arrythmia to occur.”
If you have symptoms, you may get evaluated at the emergency room. See a cardiologist if you have a documented heart rhythm disorder.
How is AFib treated?
Someone who is diagnosed with AFib may be prescribed blood thinners to reduce the risk of stroke. If you want to prevent episodes altogether, you may be referred to a cardiac electrophysiologist to have a discussion about antiarrhythmic drug therapy or being a candidate for catheter ablation.
“I'd like to thank everyone at MercyOne for the cardiac care I received,” said LeRoy. “I feel light years better."
