Can atrial fibrillation lead to sudden death?

Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
Updated on September 14, 2024
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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 Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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What does atrial fibrillation mean?

Atrial fibrillation, often abbreviated as AF, is a common type of cardiac arrhythmia in the elderly. Medically, it is described as a disorderly and irregular heart rhythm without a rhythm in the atria. In layman's terms, for example, if our heartbeat is like people queuing up to buy tickets, normally everyone comes one by one in an orderly manner. Atrial fibrillation, however, is like everyone rushing to the ticketing area at once. Consequently, some people might run fast, others slow, some take up more space because they are heavier, and others less because they are thinner. Atrial fibrillation is similar to this scenario.

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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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How is atrial fibrillation treated?

Atrial fibrillation is a common type of arrhythmia in our daily lives, and it has many dangers. First, it produces symptoms; when atrial fibrillation occurs, patients often experience palpitations and chest discomfort. Second, it can induce heart failure. Third, it can cause complications such as cerebral infarction. Therefore, the treatment of atrial fibrillation is usually divided into the following types: first, pharmacological treatment, such as using amiodarone to maintain sinus rhythm and taking warfarin to prevent thrombosis. Second, surgical treatment, such as radiofrequency ablation therapy, which is a minimally invasive method and is hoped to prevent further episodes of atrial fibrillation.

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Written by Cui Bo
Cardiology
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Is atrial fibrillation the same as atrial flutter?

Atrial fibrillation, commonly abbreviated as AF, is a simple way to express atrial fibrillation, which is fundamentally pathological. Normal heart rhythm is sinus rhythm. Therefore, once atrial fibrillation occurs, it is crucial to seek medical attention promptly rather than ignoring it. All patients with atrial fibrillation are scored to determine if they require anticoagulation therapy. Since atrial fibrillation is a trembling of the atrium and results in a completely irregular heartbeat, it can easily lead to the formation of blood clots in the left atrial appendage. Hence, if one discovers their heartbeat is very irregular, utterly irregular, immediate medical attention is necessary. An electrocardiogram can confirm the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, but it is essential to seek the underlying cause of the condition and manage both the ventricular rate in atrial fibrillation and the anticoagulation therapy.

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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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Can atrial fibrillation be cured?

Can atrial fibrillation be cured? Many patients often ask doctors this question, and the answer is affirmative. With the development of minimally invasive interventional treatment techniques, some patients with atrial fibrillation have been cured after radiofrequency ablation treatment and have not experienced any recurrence. As for which atrial fibrillation cases are suitable for radiofrequency ablation treatment, I suggest that if the atrial fibrillation recurs repeatedly and the symptoms are quite apparent, and the effect of medication is not ideal, one should consult a specialist cardiologist to see if radiofrequency ablation treatment is appropriate.

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Written by Tang Li
Cardiology
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How is atrial fibrillation surgery performed?

Frequent atrial fibrillation attacks with a rapid ventricular rate, in cases unresponsive to drug treatment, can be managed by atrioventricular node ablation followed by the placement of a ventricular demand or dual-chamber pacemaker. Other treatment methods include radiofrequency ablation, surgical operations, and implantation of atrial defibrillators. In recent years, there have been significant advances in the methods for atrial fibrillation ablation, and the indications for atrial fibrillation ablation have been expanded. However, the success rate remains suboptimal and the recurrence rate is relatively high. Currently, international guidelines still categorize radiofrequency ablation as a second-line treatment for atrial fibrillation, not as the first choice treatment.