Your heartbeat is the rhythm you march to every day, and your heart works tirelessly to support your daily functions and keep you moving forward. But sometimes, your heart rhythm can become irregular, causing symptoms that affect your life. Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is the most common type of arrhythmia, affecting nearly 12.1 million Americans. If left untreated, its side effects can lead to more serious health concerns.
But you can find peace of mind knowing that at AdventHealth, our cardiac specialists are pioneers in minimally invasive procedures like atrial fibrillation ablation, and they dedicate themselves to helping you steady your heart.
Keep reading to learn from Marc Iskandar, DO, an expert cardiac electrophysiologist at AdventHealth Apopka, about how ablation can treat patients with AFib, and find out if it’s right for you.
The Ins and Outs of AFib
“Atrial fibrillation is the world’s most common abnormal heart rhythm,” says Dr. Iskandar. “We think of it as an electrical storm in the top half of the heart that causes it to beat faster than normal and the heartbeat to become noticeably irregular. The irregular heartbeat doesn’t allow proper blood flow to the heart's lower chambers, which can lead to blood clots and strokes.” For some, AFib can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. But for others, it could be present for a year or longer.
“Most patients experience palpitations, which feel like a rapid or irregular heartbeat that seems too fast for the level of physical activity they’re doing,” says Dr. Iskandar. “It also causes symptoms like shortness of breath, sluggishness and fatigue with everyday activities.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), common risk factors for AFib include:
The risk of AFib also increases with age, so it’s important that you stay up to date with routine AFib health screenings.
Ablation: What It Is and How It’s Performed
“Atrial fibrillation ablation is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat AFib,” says Dr. Iskandar. This procedure uses various forms of energy to create tiny scars in a specific area of the heart to prevent the incorrect electrical signals that cause AFib.
“An electrophysiologist places IVs through a blood vessel in the groin, which allows us to reach the inside of the left atrium where AFib originates,” explains Dr. Iskandar. “Then, we use various energy forms like radiofrequency, which is heat, or electricity through electroporation, to modify the cells inside the heart to prevent atrial fibrillation from taking electrical control of the heart and restore the patient’s normal heartbeat.”
Benefits and Candidacy for Ablation Procedures
One of the main benefits of ablation is that it’s a minimally invasive procedure. Unlike open-heart surgery, ablation procedures usually don’t require an extended stay at the hospital.
“Another benefit of ablation procedures is that they can prevent people from being on excessive medications and possibly avoid the side effects that come with them,” says Dr. Iskandar. “Ablation decreases the burden of atrial fibrillation and allows the heart to beat in its natural rhythm. Ultimately, it allows patients to resume the normal activities they had to give up because of their condition.”
“Since ablation aims to treat symptoms of AFib, anyone who has symptoms caused by an irregular heartbeat and has not responded to medication treatment stands to benefit from this procedure,” says Dr. Iskandar. However, he advises, “Patients have to tolerate blood thinners and general anesthesia to have this procedure.”
The Effectiveness of Ablation to Treat AFib
According to Dr. Iskandar, “A reasonable success rate for atrial fibrillation ablation is 70%. Beyond the procedure being a success, simply decreasing the burden of AFib can significantly improve the quality of life for patients.”
What Is the Recovery Time for Ablation?
“Most patients are discharged from the hospital three hours after the procedure,” says Dr. Iskandar. “Usually, patients are back to 100% activity within a week.” Your doctor will likely restrict you from driving for the first 24 hours and advise that you don’t lift heavy objects or work out for 48 hours post-operation.
Expert Care for Matters of the Heart
From first to last, every heartbeat serves a purpose. So, when it comes to caring for this important muscle, you deserve the best. Our board-certified doctors and cardiology teams will work with you to create a treatment plan designed to help you return to the life you love, so you never miss a special moment.
Visit us here to learn more about our expert care for arrhythmias or schedule an appointment. It’s time to take a step toward a healthier heartbeat.
