- All of September is known as Atrial Fibrillation Month.
- Without timely diagnosis and treatment, this type of arrhythmia can increase the risk of stroke by up to five times.
- It is also the most common arrhythmia and is described as silent because one in three patients has no symptoms.
In the framework of the month of atrial fibrillation which is commemorated during September, medical specialists make a call to the population about the importance of promptly attending to this condition. The reason is because it is one of the most common heart rhythm disorders but less treated because it is a disease in which one in three patients has no symptoms.
What does it consist of?
A heart with atrial fibrillation has irregular beating, as well as a rapid or desynchronized heart rhythm that causes blood to not be pumped correctly. When it occurs, it can generate the formation of clots that travel through the bloodstream. This fact increases up to five times the risk of suffering cerebrovascular accidents and increases the probability of developing Heart failure.
It is also a highly prevalent public health problem, since it is estimated that it affects about 34 million people in the world. While in the case of Mexico the figure is around 1.3 million people.
Latest technological advances
In this regard, the Dr. Norma Balderrábano, cardiologist electrophysiologist, highlighted that in addition to being the most common arrhythmia, it is a health condition that is growing. In fact, statistics indicate that for the next 30 years the estimated prevalence will double.
“Medical technology has evolved to have today an implantable heart monitor that allows us to continuously read the heart rate and rhythm when an arrhythmia is suspected, in order to diagnose it.”
It is the world’s smallest and most accurate insertable heart monitor, one-third the size of an AAA battery. It is placed through a minimally invasive procedure, which does not require the use of an operating room, since it can be performed in an office. In addition, its use allows to know in detail the person’s heart rate, at all times and for long periods of time.
“As health professionals, it is very important to have medical technology that allows us to monitor long-term. Precisely insertable monitoring allows us three years of continuous monitoring versus traditional methods such as Holter that offer a duration of 24-48 hours”.
Accurate and timely diagnoses help provide timely treatments that are key to controlling disease. atrial fibrillation because they help correct and stabilize the cardiac rhythm of the heart, such as: cryoablation, cardioversion through electric shocks or therapies with defibrillators or other implantable devices, as the case may be.
In this regard, Dr. Gerardo Rodríguez Diez, an electrophysiologist cardiologist, explained that cryoablation is currently the most effective long-term procedure. The advantage of it is that it blocks the irregular electrical signals that cause atrial fibrillation thanks to a minimally invasive procedure.
New medical technologies provide patients with better diagnostic and treatment options, but also monitoring for their follow-up.
Also read:
Atrial fibrillation, the most frequent cardiac arrhythmia in Mexico
The Apple Watch has a high accuracy to detect atrial fibrillation
INFOGRAPHIC: September, month of Atrial Fibrillation