Arial fibrillation is not just another heart arrhythmia, but a fairly common condition affecting over 3% of the population.
Dr. Dimitris TsiachrisInterventional Electrophysiologist, Scientific Leader of the Model Heart and Vascular Center «Athens Heart Center”, at Athens Medical Centertalks about the serious risks posed by the disease, but also the great possibilities available to medical science today for its treatment:
What is Atrial Fibrillation and why does it affect us all?
Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of heart arrhythmia and is triggered by ectopic tissue in the pulmonary veins of the heart. It is often acutely symptomatic with irregular heartbeats (the familiar fluttering) and shortness of breath. However, there are cases where patients do not perceive the symptoms and this makes it particularly dangerous and threatening, as those who are sick face a high risk of heart failure and a serious stroke. That is why it is important not to neglect symptoms such as easy fatigue, but to contact a specialist. After all, now there are impressive possibilities, both in the investigation of the disease and in its treatment. Indicatively, we have now reached the point where there are “smart” watches, which have the ability, thanks to special sensors, to read the wearer’s pulse and detect fibrillation when it occurs.
How is Atrial Fibrillation treated?
Once atrial fibrillation is diagnosed, the most important thing is to determine the patient’s health profile, taking into account their age, whether they have other health problems, and whether they should be given anticoagulant medication. According to statistics, among Greek patients with atrial fibrillation, 8 out of 10 will need to take anticoagulants in order to avoid a stroke. Here it should be noted that the stroke caused as a consequence of fibrillation is not simple or light, but serious and usually results in some disability or even death.
If, however, the fibrillation persists for a long time, then there is a risk that it will lead to heart failure and therefore requires invasive treatment, with the method of catalysis. The technical possibilities of treating the disease invasively have improved significantly in recent years. In 50% of cases, which mainly concern young patients, who have a good health profile and the operation is performed correctly, the invasive treatment of atrial fibrillation leads to a cure. In the remaining 50%, it is achieved with invasive treatment severe load reduction of arrhythmia and improvement of prognosis.
What is catalysis and how is it performed?
Ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that does not involve incisions and is performed under intoxication. THE interventional electrophysiologist inserts a special, flexible catheter from a vein in the thigh, through which it reaches the patient’s heart. There, he uses heat or cryocoagulation or pulsed waves to create tiny scars, which form a “fire zone” around the heart, blocking the irregular electrical signals that cause fibrillation and restoring a normal heart rhythm. The operation takes about 60 to 90 minutes, although the new technologies of cryocoagulation and pulse waves in the pulmonary veins, which are even safer and more effective (>80% in the paroxysmal form and >60% in the persistent form), have greatly reduced the time of the whole process. The Athens Medical Center it is the center in Greece with the most experience in cryocoagulation operations, while at the same time it is a training center in the advanced uses of pulse waves for electrophysiologists from all over Europe.
It should be noted here that developments in stroke prevention are rapid since occlusion of the left auricle (the part of the heart where clots accumulate) protects as effectively as anticoagulant medicine without the risk of bleeding.