You may have felt it in your chest but were unsure of what was happening in Clarkstown, Haverstraw, Nanuet, New City, Nyack, NY, and the surrounding areas. Atrial fibrillation, commonly called afib, is when you experience an irregular heartbeat where the upper and lower chambers are beating out of sync with each other. There are a number of different afib treatments available from our team at Cardiology of Hudson Valley, and it all starts with an initial appointment to discuss your specific conditions and experiences. We will perform a physical exam and will also have tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) and other tests to help assess the severity of afib that a patient is suffering with. There are several different approaches that can be taken, and our team will discuss those with you once we have a better idea of your specific condition. Contact us today to make your appointment and get on the road to a better life.
Potential Afib Treatment Options
When it comes to treating afib, one of the most common approaches is with medication management. There are a variety of different medications that can be used to help better control a patient’s heart rate as well as helping to reduce the risk of having a stroke. From employing beta-blockers which help to reduce the heart rate and keep things in sync to utilizing calcium channel blockers as well as blood thinners to help ease the stress on the heart, medications have proven very successful for many patients with afib.
In some cases the afib that a patient experiences is very rapid and acute, necessitating the use of other methods. Electrical cardioversion where an electric shock is delivered to the heart to reregulate the heart’s rhythm is often used, as is catheter ablation which uses radiofrequencies to targeted areas. No matter what approach is used, the end goal is the same to help restore a regular heartbeat.
Ways To Prevent Afib
Even if you have a family history of afib, that doesn’t mean that you are doomed to also suffer from the condition. There are practical and effective things that patients can do to help themselves avoid or limit the severity of afib. Controlling what they eat to help prevent diabetes is important for many different issues, not just afib. Avoiding the use of tobacco, getting the right amount of sleep, exercising daily, as well as reducing stress will all help with preventing or limiting afib.
If you find that you are suffering with afib or have been diagnosed with afib in the past in Clarkstown, Haverstraw, Nanuet, New City, Nyack, NY, and the surrounding areas, then you know that you need to take steps to limit the effects of afib and to keep it under control. Working with our team at Cardiology of Hudson Valley will provide you with a number of treatment options, and you can get back to living life again. Contact us today to learn more and schedule your appointment.