Atrial Fibrillation what is it? I went to the ER last week with a racing heart doc said my EKG was fine.?

Question

Someone told me I may be in atrial fibrillation. My heart did feel funny but was in a regular rythm. My blood work came back elevated (a BNP blood test) which they said was for heart failure but my cardio was not concerned because the CT, chest x-ray, ekg and echo was normal.

Answer 1

Atrial fibrillation is a disorder found in about 2.2 million Americans. During atrial fibrillation, the heart's two small upper chambers (the atria) quiver instead of beating effectively. Blood isn't pumped completely out of them, so it may pool and clot. If a piece of a blood clot in the atria leaves the heart and becomes lodged in an artery in the brain, a stroke results. About 15 percent of strokes occur in people with atrial fibrillation.

Answer 2

Atrial Fibrillation can be of concern, however, if your heart is beating in the rythm it is suppose to and the ecg shows that, there should be no reason to concern yourself. I have lived with A Fib for 25 years and am on meds to slow the rate and coumadin to prevent clots. A racing heart is not always indicative of A Fib. You can feel your own pulse and if there are faint beats and skipped beats then chances are...it is A Fib. A Fib can come and go and that is the time it is best treatable. If it becomes chronic and for too long a time...(like mine) it is no longer treatable, you just have to live with it. Mine sounds like a bongo drum being played by a 5 year old with beats all over the place. Each time you have that feeling of a racing heart, get checked. Sometimes, as it comes and goes, it can be undetectable on an ecg if it isn`t actively beating in A Fib. I neglected mine because everytime I went to the hospital, by the time I got there it stopped and the ecg didn`t show anything. Keep on top of it. Now, a racing heart could also be palpitations that can be brought on by stress. Just keep on top of it. Signed...A Cardio Pulmonary Technician.

Answer 3

Atrial Fibrillation is essentially a heart-attack of the atrium... kind of a chronic mini-heart attack... it occurs when motor function ceases or becomes disrupted in the atrium. Thus, blood is being pumped out by the ventricles, but not pumped in, well or at all, by the atrium... This can be very dangerous as it can cause air bubbles, pooling, and/or clots in the bloodstream and cause aneurisms and strokes...

However, you would know if you were in atrial fibrillation and so would your doctor. If all your blood work and EKG came back fine, and your heart has rhythm you are OK.

A racing heart could be indicitive of a lot of things, but not so much atrial fibrillation. That someone who told you that probably watches too much ER and was looking for a time to use a word they didn't know.

Answer 4

Atrial fibrillation is irregular flutter of heart muscles Of the Chambers of heart known as atria which are two in numbers, .Atrial fibrillation gives feeling of discomfort in chest, but does not harm much except causing anxiety,So why should you & your cardio be concerned.

Answer 5

A fib is an electrical system abnormality that makes your atrium beat irradicately. The ekg would definelty show it. With your blood test, can be elevated in many different instances that don't pertain to the heart. Everybody's heart sometimes feels funny or beats sorta weird to them. This is normal, especially for coffee drinkers, atheltes, and the stressed out. So sounds like you got a full cardiac workup, so you can set your mind at ease!!!

Answer 6

"racing heart" can be caused by many diet drinks,especially those containing aspartane.A cardiologist will be able to tell you if you have atrial fibrillation;another common cause is mitral valve prolapse which is usually a benign condition often seen in young,thin women,but don't take anything for granted,even with a normal echogram unless a good cardiologist confirms it.