Identifying and Treating Atrial Fibrillation (AFib or AF)

Atrial fibrillation is a cardiac arrhythmia that is also known as AFib. Electrical signals have deteriorated during atrial fibrillation. This leads to a cardiac rhythm change, leading to the heart operating in a disorganized manner. The signals then go to the ventricles in a disorganized manner, causing irregular ventricular contractions. 

As there is a rapid heart rate without a distinctive pattern to the rhythm on an electrocardiogram (ECG), atrial fibrillation is known as an arrhythmia, which is irregularly irregular. The atria and ventricles cannot coordinate their contractions, which contributes to decreased cardiac output and inconsistent and irregular pumping of the blood. 

Additionally, the fibrillation within the atria leads to the pooling of blood within the chambers of the heart. This can lead to the development of a thrombus. Keep reading to identify and treat atrial fibrillation.

 

What are the ECG characteristics of atrial fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation is considered a tachyarrhythmia. It is also known as arrhythmia with a heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute. Here are the characteristics of atrial fibrillation: 

1. P waves are absent. 
2. The R-R intervals are irregular. 
3. The QRS complex is narrow. 
4. Atrial rates tend to vary between 300 and 700 beats per minute. 
5. Atrial rates tend to vary between 300 and 700 beats per minute. 
6. The ventricular rate is between 80 and 180 beats per minute. 

 

What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?

Some patients are asymptomatic and might not be aware of the symptoms. But, if symptomatic, patients may experience the following: 

1. Heart palpitations 
2. Irregular heartbeat 
3. Fatigue 
4. Chest pain 
5. Weakness 
6. Dizziness 
7. Shortness of breath 
8. Lightheadedness 

 

What causes atrial fibrillation?

Acute physiologic stressors and genetic and chronic diseases cause atrial fibrillation. The risk factors for the development of atrial fibrillation include the following: 

1. Heart failure 
2. Diabetes 
3. Advanced age 
4. hypertension 
5. Heart valve defects 
6. Sleep apnea 
7. Obesity 
8. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
9. Hyperthyroidism 
10. Left ventricular hypertrophy 
11. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome 
12. Cardiomyopathy 
13. Left atrial enlargement 
14. Smoking infection 
15. Surgery 
16. Genetic predisposition 
17. Coronary artery disease 
18. Chronic kidney disease 
19. Alcohol use 

 

What is the treatment for atrial fibrillation?

The healthcare provider must use the primary assessment of advanced cardiovascular life support. The elements of the arterial fibrillation ACLS primary assessment include evaluating the patient’s breathing, circulation, and disability. The healthcare provider must take appropriate actions using the ACLS primary assessment. This includes managing the patient’s airway, supplying supplemental oxygen, and identifying the cardiac rhythm of the patient while monitoring vital signs. 

Additionally, it is also crucial to determine if the patient has neurologic deficits. Remove the clothing to perform a visual assessment of the patient. This helps in medical alert identification, burns, bleeding, or potential trauma. Get intravenous (IV) access along with a 12-lead ECG. The healthcare provider must use the ACLS for AFib secondary assessment and check H’s and T’s. This will help find the potential causes of the patient’s condition and their medical history.

Follow the cardiac rhythm and the clinical condition of the patient to determine the ideal ACLS atrial fibrillation algorithm. 

Stable tachycardia occurs when a patient has an increased heart rate. It does not show any signs of hydrodynamic instability. A patient with stable tachycardia does not have any cardiac electrical factors that might cause the identified rhythm. There is enough time to determine and check on the treatment options. Unstable tachycardia takes place when the patient’s markedly rapid heart rate and uncoordinated cardiac contractions lead to hemodynamic instability. 

With unstable tachycardia, you must move quickly while managing and evaluating the patient’s condition. This helps prevent the clinical deterioration of the patient. For patients with atrial fibrillation, if a heart rate is less than 150 beats per minute, any symptoms present are unlikely to be caused by tachycardia. 

 

Unstable atrial fibrillation

Once you identify the patient’s cardiac rhythm, the healthcare provider must use the ACLS primary and secondary assessments. Once you identify the patient’s cardiac rhythm, the healthcare provider must assess whether the patient has consistent tachyarrhythmia or tachycardia contributing to hemodynamic instability. This is due to symptoms such as altered mental status, shock, and hypotension. 

If so, this patient has unstable tachycardia. Unstable tachycardia takes place when the rapid heart rate and uncoordinated cardiac contractions lead to the development of symptoms or hemodynamic instability. Once the adult patient is symptomatic with unstable tachycardia, use the AFib ACLS adult tachycardia with a pulse ACLS AFib algorithm to guide treatment. 

 

Conclusion 

Treating atrial fibrillation reduces the risk of stroke while controlling the ventricular heart rate. It might not be appropriate to restore the cardiac rhythm of the patient to a sinus rhythm. If the patient has had atrial fibrillation for more than 48 hours, you must delay cardioversion until anticoagulation to reduce the risk of thromboembolism and stroke. Conduct cardioversion for the patient with stable atrial fibrillation under expert guidance. To be ready, you want your certification education to offer an innovative approach to learning to prepare and respond confidently. Complete your online certification program to gain an in-depth understanding of atrial fibrillation.