AFib Guide

Diagnosing your AFib, using proven tests. One of AtlantiCare’s board-certified heart rhythm specialists can review your symptoms and heart history with you. And if needed, he or she can perform a variety of tests to monitor your heart’s electrical activity. These common testing options include: Electrocardiogram (EKG): This test uses small sensors (electrodes) attached to your chest and arms to record electrical signals as they travel through your heart. Echocardiogram (ECG): In this noninvasive test, sound waves are used to produce a video image of your heart in motion. The echo reflects the size and shape of your heart chambers, and tracks how well they and your heart valves are functioning. Holter monitor: This is a portable ECG device carried in your pocket or comfortably worn on a belt or shoulder strap. It continuously records your heart’s rhythms for 24 hours or longer, giving your doctor excellent insight into any problems. Zio patch: This small, wireless, water-resistant adhesive patch can record and store heart data for up to 14 days. It is also equipped with a trigger button that you can activate if you experience symptoms that suggest arrhythmia. It creates a digital time stamp for your doctor to assess. Loop recorder: This small electronic chip can be injected under the skin of the chest area to monitor your heart rhythm for longer periods — up to 2-3 years. Loop recorders are useful in evaluating how often and how long your heart remains in atrial fibrillation. Blood tests: These help your doctor rule out thyroid problems or other substances in your blood that may lead to AFib or interfere with AFib medications. Chest X-ray: These images help your doctor see the condition of your lungs and heart, and may help in diagnosing conditions other than AFib to explain your signs and symptoms.

Once it’s detected, it can be treated.

If AFib or another heart rhythm issue is detected, an AtlantiCare electrophysiologist will work with you and your primary care provider to find the right treatment to restore your normal heart rhythm. Depending on how serious your condition is, a personal plan will be developed for you, which may include the following: Medications : This is often a good first treatment option to help manage and live with AFib, especially if your symptoms are mild or infrequent. Pacemakers: Quite simply, the pacemaker paces your heart at a comfortable rhythm. It is a small device, no larger than a silver dollar inserted under the skin of your chest. The pacemaker is connected to wires that go to the heart and your Heart Rhythm Specialist sets the ideal rate for you. TheWATCHMAN™: This left atrial appendage closure device offered to select AFib patients an alternative to warfarin (Coumadin) to prevent a potentially life-threatening stroke. Cardioversion: This is a simple procedure that delivers electrical energy across your chest to restore normal heart rhythm. You can often go home right after the procedure. Ablation: This is a minimally invasive but highly effective procedure, because it targets the exact source of your heart rhythm problem. A thin, flexible wire called a catheter is threaded into a vein in your groin and guided up into your heart. The electrodes on the end of the catheter create a 3D map of your heart, allowing your physician to pinpoint the tissue that’s causing the abnormal heart rhythm. The catheter uses radiofrequency energy to treat those small areas, restoring your heart to its regular rhythm. Cryoablation: This innovative technique utilizes cold energy to freeze small areas of heart tissue to correct irregular rhythms. The process involves inserting a special balloon catheter into a blood vessel to reach the heart. There, the exact location of the disruptive electrical activity is located. Then, the balloon is inflated with coolant and placed against the targeted tissue halting the abnormal electrical signals causing your AFib.