Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib, is a medical term that generally refers to irregular or fluctuating heartbeats. This heart condition is considered to be quite fatal by many doctors as it can lead to blood clots, heart failure, as well as stroke.

However, like other deadly health conditions, AFib also comes with some vague symptoms which include nausea, light-headedness, and a feeling of weakness. As these signs are generally related to many other diseases, it becomes very tough for doctors to diagnose and treat this disease. However, thanks to medical science, various options of treatment for atrial fibrillation are now available, which can help the doctors to treat the condition quite comfortably. Some of these options are:

Resetting the rhythm of the heart

Many people suffering from a severe case of AFib require resetting the rate and rhythm of the heart. To do this, doctors generally use a procedure which is known as cardioversion. This procedure of treatment for atrial fibrillation is usually done in two ways, which are:

• Electrical cardioversion : To complete this procedure, the doctor will place some patches on your chest and will deliver a gentle shock to your heart. The shock usually stops your heart’s activity for a short while to reset its rhythm to normal.
• Drug cardioversion : This type of cardioversion generally uses some antiarrhythmic medicines, which help to restore the normal rhythm of your heart.

Ablation

If electrical cardioversion is not working for the patient, then the doctor may advise him or her to go for ablation. This procedure of treatment for atrial fibrillation is usually done by inserting a narrow, flexible tube into one of the larger blood vessels of the patient. The surgeon will then guide it to the affected tissue and destroy it by using either heating or freezing. Some types of ablation also require a pacemaker in case of any kind of emergency. However, if done properly, this procedure has the highest success rate.

Medications for blood clot

People who are suffering from atrial fibrillation are at an increased risk of blood clots. Blood clots are considered to be quite fatal and can lead to the failure of the heart. Thus, before starting the treatment for atrial fibrillation, your doctor would ask you to take some medications to prevent clots. Some of the medicines which are known to be quite effective are:

• Warfarin : To treat the problem of blood clotting, most doctors usually prescribe warfarin. However, as it is a very powerful medicine, you would have to follow the instructions of your doctor thoroughly.
• Dabigatran : Unlike warfarin, dabigatran is not very powerful and comes with very few harmful side effects. However, people with mechanical heart valves would not be able to use it.

Although life-threatening, AFib can be treated successfully if it is diagnosed at an early stage. Thus, if you are feeling any kind of problem, then rushing to your doctor as soon as possible is the right thing to do.