How does atrial fibrillation cause heart failure?
-
Certain arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, can lead to very serious problems such as heart failure. With heart failure, your heart pumps blood inefficiently for a lengthy period because of the rapid heart rate of atrial fibrillation. When your heart rate is extremely high, the heart muscle becomes overworked and inefficient in pumping blood. Bradycardia, a slow heartbeat, can also cause the heart to work ineffectively. There are medications that can help your heart function better with heart failure. Even controlling the heart rate with atrial fibrillation can boost your heart function. If treatment is not sought immediately for heart failure, the outcome can be fatal.Certain arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, can lead to very serious problems such as heart failure. With heart failure, your heart pumps blood inefficiently for a lengthy period because of the rapid heart rate of atrial... More
-
Dr. M. Eyman Mortada of Aurora Health Care answered:Atrial fibrillation (AF) causes the lower heart chambers (ventricles) to beat rapidly and irregularly, decreasing the heart’s ability to pump blood, causing heart failure. Long periods (weeks to months) of rapid AF stresses the heart muscle. Over time, this may decrease the heart’s ability to pump blood. In patients who already have low heart pump function, AF can increase the incidence of heart failure by more than 20%. Treating AF can help improve the heart’s pumping function. AF can occur even in a person with no heart disease. In these cases of “lone atrial fibrillation,” heart function can still weaken. Because the heart is otherwise healthy, treating AF can help the pump function get better and even help it return to normal.Atrial fibrillation (AF) causes the lower heart chambers (ventricles) to beat rapidly and irregularly, decreasing the heart’s ability to pump blood, causing heart failure. Long periods (weeks to months) of rapid AF stresses the heart... More -
Dr. Douglas Severance answered:Certain arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, can lead to very serious problems such as heart failure. With heart failure, your heart pumps blood inefficiently for a lengthy period of time due to the rapid heart rate of atrial fibrillation. When your heart rate is extremely high, the heart muscle becomes overworked and inefficient in pumping blood. Bradycardia, a slow heartbeat, can also cause the heart to work ineffectively. Medications can help your heart function better with heart failure. If treatment is not sought immediately for heart failure, the outcome can be fatal.Certain arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, can lead to very serious problems such as heart failure. With heart failure, your heart pumps blood inefficiently for a lengthy period of time due to the rapid heart rate of atrial... More -
Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute answered:This is because atrial fibrillation reduces the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively by about 20% to 25%.This is because atrial fibrillation reduces the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively by about 20% to 25%. More
