atrial fibrillation hannah morgan lance killian october 12, 2010 hs2
TRANSCRIPT
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
Hannah Morgan
Lance Killian
October 12, 2010
HS2
WHAT HAPPENS?
the heart's two small upper chambers (the atria)
quiver instead of beating effectively. Blood isn't
pumped completely out of them, so it may pool and
clot. If a piece of a blood clot in the atria leaves the
heart and becomes lodged in an artery in the brain, a
stroke results.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS?
A fluttering feeling in the chest
Chest pain or pressure
Feeling out of breath
Feeling weak or tired
Dizziness and sweating
Feeling faint or lightheaded
WHO GETS IT?
Men are more likely to get atrial fibrillation than
women. It's more common if you're older.
ARE THERE WAYS TO PREVENT IT?
A healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition, treatment for
high blood pressure, and other measures can prevent
atrial fibrillation by protecting you from heart disease.
Manage your stress
exercise regularly
control your blood pressure
and do not smoke.
HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED?
Some people who have atrial fibrillation (AF) don't
have symptoms. For these people, AF often is found
during a physical exam or EKG (•Modifications to
your diet and lifestyle, such as eliminating things
that can cause or worsen health problems. ) test
done for another purpose. Other times, AF is
diagnosed after a person goes to the doctor because
of symptoms.
HOW IS IT TREATED?
General treatment options include medicines,
medical procedures, and lifestyle changes.
These medicines include warfarin (Coumadin),
heparin, and aspirin.
WHAT IS THE PROGNOSIS?
The prognosis, or expectation, for people with atrial
fibrillation depends on many factors, such as:
Overall health and whether other heart problems are
present
Age
Type of atrial fibrillation
Symptoms
Response to treatment.
WORK CITIED
www.multaq.com
www.americanheart.org
http://www.health.com
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov
http://heart.emedtv.com