Can atrial fibrillation be cured?

Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
Updated on September 06, 2024
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Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia in daily life. Many patients often ask their doctors after being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, "Can my atrial fibrillation be cured?" The answer is affirmative. With the advancement of medical technology, some patients can be completely cured of atrial fibrillation, which needs to be analyzed and judged based on the treatment methods for atrial fibrillation. First, medication treatment, which is currently the mainstream method for treating atrial fibrillation. Most patients use medication treatment, but it cannot effectively cure atrial fibrillation. Second, radiofrequency ablation treatment, which is a minimally invasive means of treating atrial fibrillation. This technology has become very mature, and many patients have achieved complete cure of atrial fibrillation through radiofrequency ablation treatment. Third, surgical treatment, where a portion of the patients undergo a Maze procedure during surgery, which can also achieve the purpose of curing atrial fibrillation.

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Written by Chen Tian Hua
Cardiology
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What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?

The most common symptoms of atrial fibrillation episodes are chest tightness, palpitations, shortness of breath, and fatigue. When atrial fibrillation causes a significant decrease in cardiac output, it can also lead to insufficient cerebral blood supply, causing symptoms such as dizziness and blackouts. Occasionally, it may also cause fainting in patients. When coronary artery blood supply is insufficient, it can also trigger angina attacks. Moreover, if atrial fibrillation leads to heart failure, it can cause significant respiratory difficulty. Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia clinically. The treatment of atrial fibrillation should be based on the specific situation, choosing either cardioversion or controlling the ventricular rate. Cardioversion can be achieved through medication or radiofrequency ablation surgery, while controlling the ventricular rate can be managed with β-blockers, amiodarone, digoxin, and other drugs. In treating atrial fibrillation with ventricular rate control, patients need to take anticoagulants long-term to prevent the occurrence of peripheral arterial embolism. (Please follow medical advice regarding medications.)

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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"Heart atrial fibrillation" refers to what?

Atrial fibrillation is the most common clinical arrhythmia. An electrocardiogram reveals abnormal fluctuations in the atria, which are fast and disordered with some fibrillating waves, known as atrial fibrillation. Diseases causing atrial fibrillation are often associated with structural heart disease. Common conditions include rheumatic heart disease, heart failure, pulmonary heart disease, viral myocarditis, coronary artery disease, and congenital heart disease. Atrial fibrillation can also occur in conditions that cause sympathetic or parasympathetic nerve activity changes, with hyperthyroidism being a common related disease.

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Written by Zhang Yue Mei
Cardiology
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Nursing Care for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) refers to atrial fibrillation, caused primarily by organic heart diseases, commonly seen in coronary heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and pulmonary heart disease, as well as certain metabolic disorders such as hyperthyroidism. Patients with AF can experience impacts on cardiac function, and in severe cases, may develop heart failure. Nursing care primarily involves ensuring the patient rests and avoids excessive fatigue. Mild physical activities can be performed, and it is advisable to eat easily digestible foods and avoid spicy foods to reduce gastrointestinal irritation and lessen the burden on cardiac function. Attention should be paid to sleep, avoiding smoking and alcohol, routinely checking the electrocardiogram (ECG), and seeking timely medical treatment at a hospital if special conditions arise.

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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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Can atrial fibrillation lead to sudden death?

Atrial fibrillation is a very common arrhythmia in our daily lives, but does it lead to sudden death after its onset? Generally speaking, atrial fibrillation does not cause sudden death, but this does not mean that atrial fibrillation is safe. Atrial fibrillation often poses the following risks: Firstly, it causes symptoms; repeated episodes of atrial fibrillation can cause symptoms such as palpitations and chest tightness in patients. Secondly, it triggers heart failure; acute episodes of atrial fibrillation are often a significant cause of heart failure, which necessitates hospital treatment for many patients. Thirdly, it leads to complications from blood clots, which is one of the most severe yet common complications of atrial fibrillation, leaving sequelae such as weakness in walking or hemiplegia on one side of the body.

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Written by Tang Li
Cardiology
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Can atrial fibrillation cause cerebral infarction?

Patients with chronic atrial fibrillation have a relatively high incidence rate of embolism. For instance, those with a history of embolism, valvular disease, hypertension, diabetes, elderly patients, left atrial enlargement, and coronary artery disease are at increased risk of embolism. Atrial fibrillation is an independent risk factor for stroke. As age increases, the incidence of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation also increases annually; atrial fibrillation doubles the mortality rate of stroke and significantly increases the disability rate. At the same time, atrial fibrillation also significantly increases the risk of recurrent stroke. Studies show that the incidence of stroke within the first year after a stroke is 6.92% in patients with atrial fibrillation, compared to 4.7% in those without atrial fibrillation. Therefore, anticoagulation therapy is the primary strategy for managing atrial fibrillation.