Why Doctor – What is Atrial Fibrillation (AF)?
Dr. Denis Saudeau – Atrial fibrillation occurs in the atrium of the heart, which, instead of beating regularly, begins to contract extremely quickly and irregularly, disconnecting from the ventricle.
– What are the possible complications of atrial fibrillation?
With atrial fibrillation, the atrium can no longer properly push blood to the ventricle, and the blood will stagnate in the atrium. And when the blood stagnates, it coagulates, forming small clots, which will go everywhere in the body, causing embolism (in the arms, legs, intestines, brain, etc.). We talk about cerebrovascular accident (stroke) when the artery in the brain has been blocked by a clot.
– What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?
These are treacherous symptoms. It could be a throbbing, shortness of breath, difficulty climbing the stairs… or nothing at all. In the latter case, atrial fibrillation often goes unnoticed. The only way to notice it is to take the patient’s pulse, and confirm it with an EKG machine.
– Are there populations more affected than others by atrial fibrillation?
The elderly, because it is an anomaly that increases with age.
– Is it a frequent health problem?
Yes, it is frequent. Almost 1 in 5 general practitioners and 1 in 2 cardiologists see more than 40 patients with atrial fibrillation per month.
– Can we treat atrial fibrillation?
There are two ways of treating atrial fibrillation. The first is to treat the potential complications of emboli, with anti-coagulant drugs. The second is to treat the atrial fibrillation itself. We then locate in the atrium where the arrhythmia starts, to try to remove the problematic place. It is a gesture of interventional cardiology, which passes with a small probe through the vessels without opening the skin.
– Is it a disabling disease on a daily basis?
No not necessarily. The main complication of atrial fibrillation is not day-to-day discomfort, but embolism.
– Can we prevent atrial fibrillation?
No, we can just diagnose it as soon as possible, with a regular consultation with the attending physician or cardiologist, once or twice a year from the age of 55. This is why we are campaigning, with a new white paper, with politicians to put in place better screening, which will prevent complications.
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