Explore Atrial Fibrillation

What Is Atrial Fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation (A-tre-al fi-bri-LA-shun), or AF, is the most common type of arrhythmia (ah-RITH-me-ah). An arrhythmia is a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat. During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm.

AF occurs if rapid, disorganized electrical signals cause the heart's two upper chambers—called the atria (AY-tree-uh)—to fibrillate. The term "fibrillate" means to contract very fast and irregularly.

In AF, blood pools in the atria. It isn't pumped completely into the heart's two lower chambers, called the ventricles (VEN-trih-kuls). As a result, the heart's upper and lower chambers don't work together as they should.

People who have AF may not feel symptoms. However, even when AF isn't noticed, it can increase the risk of stroke. In some people, AF can cause chest pain or heart failure, especially if the heart rhythm is very rapid.

AF may happen rarely or every now and then, or it may become an ongoing or long-term heart problem that lasts for years.

Understanding the Electrical Problem in Atrial Fibrillation

In AF, the heart's electrical signals don't begin in the SA node. Instead, they begin in another part of the atria or in the nearby pulmonary veins. The signals don't travel normally. They may spread throughout the atria in a rapid, disorganized way. This can cause the atria to fibrillate.

The faulty signals flood the AV node with electrical impulses. As a result, the ventricles also begin to beat very fast. However, the AV node can't send the signals to the ventricles as fast as they arrive. So, even though the ventricles are beating faster than normal, they aren't beating as fast as the atria.

Thus, the atria and ventricles no longer beat in a coordinated way. This creates a fast and irregular heart rhythm. In AF, the ventricles may beat 100 to 175 times a minute, in contrast to the normal rate of 60 to 100 beats a minute.

If this happens, blood isn't pumped into the ventricles as well as it should be. Also, the amount of blood pumped out of the ventricles to the body is based on the random atrial beats.

The body may get rapid, small amounts of blood and occasional larger amounts of blood. The amount will depend on how much blood has flowed from the atria to the ventricles with each beat.

Most of the symptoms of AF are related to how fast the heart is beating. If medicines or age slow the heart rate, the symptoms are minimized.

AF may be brief, with symptoms that come and go and end on their own. Or, the condition may be ongoing and require treatment. Sometimes AF is permanent, and medicines or other treatments can't restore a normal heart rhythm.

The animation below shows atrial fibrillation. Click the "start" button to play the animation. Written and spoken explanations are provided with each frame. Use the buttons in the lower right corner to pause, restart, or replay the animation, or use the scroll bar below the buttons to move through the frames.

Types of Atrial Fibrillation

Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation

In paroxysmal (par-ok-SIZ-mal) atrial fibrillation (AF), the faulty electrical signals and rapid heart rate begin suddenly and then stop on their own. Symptoms can be mild or severe. They stop within about a week, but usually in less than
24 hours.

Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

Persistent AF is a condition in which the abnormal heart rhythm continues for more than a week. It may stop on its own, or it can be stopped with treatment.

Permanent Atrial Fibrillation

Permanent AF is a condition in which a normal heart rhythm can't be restored with treatment. Both paroxysmal and persistent AF may become more frequent and, over time, result in permanent AF.

What Causes Atrial Fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs if the heart's electrical signals don't travel through the heart in a normal way. Instead, they become very rapid and disorganized.

Damage to the heart's electrical system causes AF. The damage most often is the result of other conditions that affect the health of the heart, such as high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.

The risk of AF increases as you age. Inflammation also is thought to play a role in causing AF.

Sometimes, the cause of AF is unknown.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) usually causes the heart's lower chambers, the ventricles, to contract faster than normal.

When this happens, the ventricles can't completely fill with blood. Thus, they may not be able to pump enough blood to the lungs and body. This can lead to signs and symptoms, such as:

• Palpitations (feelings that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, or beating too hard or fast)


• Shortness of breath


• Weakness or problems exercising


• Chest pain


• Dizziness or fainting


• Fatigue (tiredness)


• Confusion

Atrial Fibrillation Complications

AF has two major complications—stroke and heart failure.

Stroke

During AF, the heart's upper chambers, the atria, don't pump all of their blood to the ventricles. Some blood pools in the atria. When this happens, a blood clot (also called a thrombus) can form.

If the clot breaks off and travels to the brain, it can cause a stroke. (A clot that forms in one part of the body and travels in the bloodstream to another part of the body is called an embolus.)

Blood-thinning medicines that reduce the risk of stroke are an important part of treatment for people who have AF.

Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke

The illustration shows how a stroke can occur during atrial fibrillation. A blood clot (thrombus) can form in the left atrium of the heart. If a piece of the clot breaks off and travels to an artery in the brain, it can block blood flow through the artery. The lack of blood flow to the portion of the brain fed by the artery causes a stroke.

Heart Failure

Heart failure occurs if the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. AF can lead to heart failure because the ventricles are beating very fast and can't completely fill with blood. Thus, they may not be able to pump enough blood to the lungs and body.

Fatigue and shortness of breath are common symptoms of heart failure. A buildup of fluid in the lungs causes these symptoms. Fluid also can build up in the feet, ankles, and legs, causing weight gain.

Lifestyle changes, medicines, and procedures or surgery (rarely, a mechanical heart pump or heart transplant) are the main treatments for heart failure.

12/12/12 ~ How to Interpret Date 12-12-12. Wednesday, December 12, 2012

What is 12/12/12?

Welcome random visitor. Many philosophies believe that you somehow ended up on this page for a reason. It is not known if it is the result of karma, predestination, random chance, fate, a higher power, something else, or for absolutely no reason at all.

Time, space, and doom. What does it all mean? And Day 12/12/xxbirthdays. And, no doubt, there will be a few people getting married on that date.

This page provides a review of the12/12/12 date singularity and of the number twelve; followed by a quick metaphysics experiment. It should be noted that day 12/12/12 will not be the end of the world. That's nine days later... Or not. The prognostication odds on the12/21/12 page keep fluctuating as to what might happen on a global scale on that date.

The meaning of 12 12 12

Birthday 12/12/12. This page is here for folks born on December 12, ie, 12/12/xx, and for folks interested in the date singularity, 12.12.12. This is as the 10/10/10 (600+ comments) page and the 11/11/11(1,000+ comments) page. Although there are doom-related references here, the full doomsday treatment is reserved for the 12/21/12 page.

Reference List: Date 12/12/12, Date 121212, Date 12/12/2012, Date 12-12-12, Date 12 12 12, Date 12.12.12. Time 12:12.

12-12-12; Wednesday, December 12, 2012: A Mathematical and Societal Overview of the Number 12

The number 12 is a unique, interesting, and very useful number. The unique usefulness of the number 12 has been recognized by mathematicians, scientists, meta-physicists, and society in general since the beginning of recorded human history.

The usefulness of this number derives from its divisibility. There are relatively few small numbers that can be evenly divided into so many subsets. The number 12 can be evenly divided into halves, thirds, fourths, sixths, and twelfths. Multiples of 12, by definition, retain this divisibility.

The inherent divisibility is the reason that the number 12, and its multiplies, are so intertwined into our society. We use it here, there, and everywhere for our time logistics. We use it here, there, and everywhere for our space logistics.We use it here, there, and everywhere for other stuff as well.

12-12-12); Wednesday, December 12, 2012: Games of Chance

Roulette

Roulette loves the number 36 (3 x 12). It makes for a nice, long 3-number by 12-number table that lots of players can gather around. And the rampant divisibility of this number enables players to get themselves in trouble in all sorts of ways; particularly so when that pesky zero or zero-zero drops by. Players can bet on groups of 1,2,3,4,6,12, and 18 numbers in a multitude of combinations. There's more, but you get the idea.

Dice

As far as the game of dice is concerned, the number 36 ((3 x 12) = (6 x 6)), along with it's inherent attributes, is an integral number. You have 2 cubes with 6 sides each, enabling the existence of 11 numbers via a 6 x 6 matrix of 36 combinations. The integration part comes in where as the probability of any particular combination of dice numbers showing is a direct function of the 6 x 6 matrix.

12/12/12 (aka 12-12-12); Wednesday, December 12, 2012: Time

The 12 Month Calendar

The general consensus is that the Egyptians came up with the first 12 month calendar. The Romans later modified it, but retained the 12 month format. Both cultures abandoned any attempt to match the calendar with the lunar cycle; all emphasis was placed on the solar cycle.

The innate attribute of 12 months being evenly divisible into quarters and halves has been in use ever since. The term “bimonthly“ is used to define both “once-every-two-months” and “twice-a-month”.

There are no worldwide legal or official designations as to when the 4 seasons start and end. Different cultures and locations have their own designations.

The 2 x 12 = 24 Hour Clock

The division of the day into 24 (2*12) increments (hours) has been in existence since the beginning of timekeeping. Followed by the designation of minutes (1/(5*12)) which equals 1/60 which equals 1 minute. Followed by seconds (1/(5*12)) which equals 1/60 which equals 1 second.

12:00 AM versus 12:00 PM

The best way to remember which is which is to think of 12 as 0; i.e. the beginning of the time period, not the ending. Thus, 12:00 AM is 00.00 AM; which is the middle of the night and the beginning of a new day. Conversely, 12:00 PM and 12:01 PM is 00:00 PM and 00:01 PM which is the beginning of the afternoon. 12:00 AM is the start of the new day; 12:00 PM is noon and the start of the afternoon.

12:12:12); Wednesday, December 12, 2012: Space

This is a Tutorial about Latitude and Longitude. If you are not in the mood, you can always return to this section another time.

There are 3 * 12 * 10 = 360 degrees in a circle. This is the basis of our geographic coordinate system. Reference points are defined using latitude and longitude.

Latitude is the 0 to 90 degree angle between the equator and the north/south poles. The equator is latitude 0. The north and south poles are latitude 90 degrees N or 90 degrees S respectively. Latitudinal lines are “horizontal” and parallel to the equator. The latitudinal line “half-way” between the equator and the north/south pole is 45 degrees N or 45 degrees S, depending on which pole is referenced.

Longitude coordinates are the “vertical” lines; they run side side-by-side, but are not parallel due to their convergence at the poles. Longitude 0 is called the Prime Meridian (meridian and longitude are synonyms) and is located in Greenwich (near London), England. Locations to the west of the Prime Meridian (Greenwich) are defined as being in the western hemisphere; locations east of the prime Meridian are in the eastern hemisphere. Longitudinal coordinates are as two half-circles: 0 to 180 degrees W; 0 to 180 degrees E.

By use of the latitude and longitude coordinates every location on Earth has its own unique address.

13 Ways To Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

How to lower blood pressure

Reducing high blood pressure without drugs is easier than you think

High blood pressure is one of the most preventable conditions.

How to lower blood pressure
1. Go for power walks
2. Breathe deeply
3. Pick potatoes
4. Be salt smart
5. Indulge in dark chocolate
6. Take a supplement
7. Drink (a little) alcohol
8. Switch to decaf coffee
9. Take up tea
10. Work (a bit) less
11. Relax with music
12. Seek help for snoring
13. Jump for soy

But it plays a contributing role in more than 15% of deaths in the United States, according to a new Harvard study. Although it causes no symptoms, high blood pressure boosts the risks of leading killers such as heart attack and stroke, as well as aneurysms, cognitive decline, and kidney failure. 28% of Americans have high blood pressure and don't know it, according to the American Heart Association. If you haven't had yours checked in 2 years, see a doctor.

While medication can lower blood pressure, it may cause side effects such as leg cramps, dizziness, and insomnia. Fortunately, most people can bring down their blood pressure naturally without medication. First, get to a healthy weight (check out these 100 Simple Ways To Lose Weight for ideas). Then try these strategies to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Simple Steps to Prevent Blood Pressure

A panacea to the dreaded ailments like heart attack, stroke and kidney damage is blood pressure prevention. Various preventive measures can be adopted to avoid high blood pressure (also known as Hypertension) problems. The most simple and effective is believed to be changes in lifestyle. Some complementary therapies can also be effective.
Before learning about blood pressure prevention, an important thing that you need to know is – what is high blood pressure? Typically, the blood pressure reading of 140/90 mm Hg or more denotes high blood pressure. Both the limits are important, if either of them is high, you must consider it as high blood pressure. Those with uncontrollable high blood pressure suffer higher chances of stroke, are more vulnerable to congestive heart failure and have higher chances of heart attack.



There are ways you can help control your blood pressure. By combining changes to lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise and smoking with drugs and complementary therapies, even the most severe cases of high blood pressure problems can be significantly controlled. Once you have the readings and feel that you are at a risk of developing hypertension, adopt a healthy diet and active lifestyle to prevent the symptoms.
Deciding for a lifestyle change, you would require developing a routine to be followed sincerely. The routine must emphasize on a healthy diet, physical activities and complementary therapies. The diet must include vegetables, fruits, low fat dairy foods, foods with less salt and sodium. You will also have to restrict intake of alcoholic beverages.
Tips For Blood Pressure Prevention
Here are some measures that can assist in blood pressure prevention:
Stress Reduction – Stress, being a part of body's instincts, can lead to high blood pressure. Stress and anxiety can be reduced through complementary therapies, physical activity and relaxation techniques.
Exercises – A major cause of hypertension is lack of physical activity. A viable technique for blood pressure prevention is regular exercises such as walking.
Restricting Alcohol Consumption – Excessive alcohol consumption is sure to affect blood pressure in the long run. Those of you with risk of hypertension must not exceed two drinks per day (for males) and one day per week for females.
Quit Smoking – Although smoking is not directly responsible for hypertension, it can increase the risk of hypertension. The safest option is to stop smoking.
Relaxation Techniques – An effective way of blood pressure prevention is using techniques such as yoga, acupuncture, reflexology, floatation, aromatherapy, and massage. All these tend to lower blood pressure by aiding improved circulation; it relieves stress and tension, side-by-side regulating heart rhythm.
Complementary Medicine – Drug therapy along with lifestyle changes will effectively reduce blood pressure. They together provide relief from stress and help in relaxing.
Before trying out lifestyle changes to counter the risk of hypertension, consult a doctor at first. Prepare a list of precautions and act according to the doctor's advice for blood pressure prevention.