How do we treat atrial fibrillation?
Lifestyle factors
Medications
Cardioversion
Catheter Ablation
Cryoballoon
Pacemaker
Hybrid Convergent Procedure
Treating Atrial Fibrillation in the elderly
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment FAQs
0:42
Title
What are the treatment options for atrial fibrillation?
Duration
0:42
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
In this video. Dr. Syed Ahsan, our Consultant Cardiologist, discusses atrial fibrillation (AF) management. Initially, blood thinners are prescribed to prevent stroke risk. Your medications are then tailored to either maintain a normal heart rhythm or control your heart rate. Catheter ablation, a modern minimally invasive procedure, corrects heart irregularities as a day case procedure. To understand which of these treatment options is most appropriate to your unique needs, contact us today.
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
0:20
Title
Is there a cure for atrial fibrillation?
Duration
0:20
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
Dr Syed Ahsan advises that while there is no cure for atrial fibrillation, there are plenty of treatments, such as medications and ablation, that can treat the problem.
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
0:59
Title
What are the treatments available for atrial fibrillation?
Duration
0:59
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
Dr Syed Ahsan, Consultant Cardiologist explains the different types of treatments available for atrial fibrillation. These include catheter ablation and convergent ablation. There is another hybrid procedure called the conversion procedure which is currently being trialled.
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
0:37
Title
How manageable is atrial fibrillation?
Duration
0:37
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
Are you experiencing atrial fibrillation (AF) and concerned about what it means for your health? AF is totally manageable, but it is important that you keep taking your medications and contacting a healthcare provide if you’re worried about anything. The key is to stay calm, as there are many effective strategies to address and treat atrial fibrillation. Dr. Syed Ahsan is a world-leading expert in heart rhythm disorders, treating many people like you with AF every day. Contact us today to book your consultation with him.
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
Video Transcript
If you are having an episode of atrial fibrillation, first thing to say is don’t worry. It’s not going to be life threatening, and almost always we can control this and manage this. The first thing to do is make sure you’re taking your medications regularly. If you’re worried about that, contact us and we can advise you further. It may be that we need to do some more tests or some more investigations to establish whether you are in AF, how fast it’s going, and then we can advise you further on changing your medications or doing other treatments to get your heart back into a normal rhythm. But the key thing is not to panic.
0:19
Title
When to seek specialist help for atrial fibrillation?
Duration
0:19
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
Wondering when to seek a specialist’s help for atrial fibrillation? Dr. Syed Ahsan explains that anyone with this condition needs to seek medical treatment, even if they have no symptoms. Early intervention can prevent blood clots from forming.
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
Video Transcript
Anyone with atrial fibrillation should seek medical advice, even if they’re having no symptoms. And the main reason is to assess your risk of stroke and see whether you need to be started on blood thinning medications to prevent blood clots from forming.
0:41
Title
Do I need general anaesthetic for my ablation?
Duration
0:41
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
Video Transcript
During the ablation procedure, fine wires called catheters are passed from the vein in your leg called the femoral vein, which runs like a motorway straight into the heart. So we use this vein to access the heart. If you are having an atrial fibrillation ablation, we need to access the top left chamber of the heart, so the vein in the leg goes into the right chamber, and we make a tiny hole using a long needle, uh, so that we can pass the wires into the left chamber.
We then create a three dimensional computer, virtual geometry of the heart chamber, which allows us to see the heart in three dimensions, move it around, tilt it up so we know that we can deliver the treatment, to very specific areas and safely. During the catheter ablation, we also monitor your blood pressure, your breathing. We can see exactly how much force we’re applying inside the hearts to make sure that we’re not pressing too hard and the procedure can be done efficiently and safely. It’s mostly done with a general anaesthetic, so you’ll be asleep and there will be an anaesthetist who will be controlling your breathing. We can do it with sedation and strong pain relief as well.
We also monitor your blood pressure, your breathing. We can see exactly how much force we’re applying inside the hearts to make sure that we’re not pressing too hard and the procedure can be done efficiently and safely. It’s mostly done with a general anaesthetic, so you’ll be asleep and there will be an anaesthetist who will be controlling your breathing. We can do it with sedation and strong pain relief as well.
Occasionally you may also need to have a camera test called a transoesophageal echo at the start of the procedure to make sure that there are no blood clots in the heart. So with ablation, number one is your safety. That’s paramount. So we take all the measures to make sure that you are safe. Uh, we can deliver the treatment safely and effectively. There’ll be various staff members around in the theatre to make sure that you are doing well, and we can perform the procedure as we want. And after the procedure, you’ll go back to the ward, maybe to a recovery bay and a normally discharge home the same day or maybe the following morning.
0:32
Title
Do I still need to take medication after an ablation procedure?
Duration
0:32
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
Video Transcript
If you’ve had a successful ablation, we’re always keen to try and take you off the medications. Now, you may need to stay on the medications that prevent strokes, but certainly the medications that are controlling your heart rhythm, we, and I’m sure you are keen to come off them, and that’s often the way it happens. Occasionally, we may need to continue on some of those medications after your ablation, but we’ll discuss that with you and we can have a clear understanding of what needs to be done.
0:17
Title
Do I need a general anesthetic for an ablation procedure?
Duration
0:17
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
In most patients, we do this procedure under a general anesthetic.
It’s more comfortable for you. We can use a camera during the procedure to help monitoring,
but we do do the procedure with just local anesthetic and sedation in some cases.
0:43
Title
What does atrial fibrillation look like on an ECG?
Duration
0:43
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
An ECG, or electrocardiogram, is a 12-lead test that records your heart’s electrical activity from different angles. It provides insight into how your heart is functioning electrically. When your heart is in a normal rhythm, the ECG will show a regular pattern.
In atrial fibrillation, however, the rhythm is chaotic, and the spikes representing heartbeats appear at irregular intervals. This causes the ECG to look uneven. Additionally, we don’t see the typical P waves, which are signals from the top chambers of the heart (the atria) during normal rhythm. In atrial fibrillation, this absence of P waves further indicates the irregularity.
0:23
Title
Does a pacemaker control atrial fibrillation?
Duration
0:23
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
1:00
Title
What medications are there for atrial fibrillation?
Duration
1:00
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
Dr Syed Ahsan lists some of the medications available for atrial flutter, including blood thinners and anti-coagulants, as well as rate control medications. The most effective treatment is a catheter ablation.
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
0:33
Title
What is the kardia heart monitoring device?
Duration
0:33
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
If you want to learn more about your heart rhythm, there are tools available to help you monitor it home. For example, the Kardia device is a home monitoring tool for heart rhythm that is available on smartphone or smartwatches. Dr. Syed Ahsan, a specialist expert in heart rhythm disorders, recommends it for accurate and non-invasive at-home heart rhythm monitoring. Recordings can be stored as PDFs and easily shared with your medical team to confirm your diagnosis.
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
0:57
Title
What is the convergent procedure and who is it for?
Duration
0:57
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
Dr. Syed Ahsan, a Consultant Cardiologist, explains the convergent procedure, a novel approach to treat atrial fibrillation. It combines internal and external heart treatments in two separate procedures, which take place across a few weeks. Research has shown that you can have better outcomes in maintaining a regular heart rhythm with this combined approach. If standard catheter ablations have failed, or your heart is too large or has been in AF for a long time, the convergent procedure may be more suitable for you. Contact us today to book your appointment with Dr. Ahsan.
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
0:29
Title
My smart device says I have AF what should I do?
Duration
0:29
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
If your watch or phone alerts you about potential atrial fibrillation (AF), it’s crucial to consult with a doctor or a specialist like Dr. Syed Ahsan, a specialist expert in heart rhythm disorders. Further tests and investigations may be necessary, as these modern devices are accurate in detecting AF. Take any alerts seriously and seek professional advice promptly.
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
0:31
Title
How can I monitor my AF after ablation?
Duration
0:31
Featuring
Dr Syed Ahsan
Video Description
After you’ve had an ablation procedure, you will still need to keep any eye on your atrial fibrillation (AF). Our expert Cardiologist, Dr. Syed Ahsan, may request you to use a smart device, like a phone or watch, to monitor your heart rhythm. This will help you stay informed and on top of your condition, and, if concerned, you can share the data with him to get a professional assessment. The devices are very accurate and will help you feel reassured about your AF.
Atrial Fibrillation Treatment