why does afib cause stroke?
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Stroke. In atrial fibrillation, the chaotic rhythm may cause blood to pool in your heart's upper chambers (atria) and form clots. If a blood clot forms, it could dislodge from your heart and travel to your brain. There it might block blood flow, causing a stroke.
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It is estimated that half of the patients with AFib also have sleep apnea. And patients with sleep apnea have four times the risk of developing AFib. Over time, untreated sleep apnea can lead to the onset of risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes that predispose a person to AFib.
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Although atrial fibrillation can feel weird and frightening, an “attack of AFib” usually doesn't have harmful consequences by itself. The real danger is the increased risk for stroke. Even when symptoms are not noticeable, AFib can increase a person's risks for stroke and related heart problems.
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Any of these may cause the heart to skip a beat, beat too fast, or beat too slow. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a form of arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, in which the atria (the two small upper chambers of the heart) quiver instead of beating effectively.
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And patients with sleep apnea have four times the risk of developing AFib. Over time, untreated sleep apnea can lead to the onset of risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes that predispose a person to AFib. Further, it has been shown that sleep apnea directly triggers arrhythmias during sleep.
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But if you have AFib, your heart's upper chambers -- the atria -- are out of sync. They don't have that nice steady rhythm. Instead, they might be quivering like Jell-O. With heart failure, the muscles of your heart are too weak to pump enough blood, so you don't get the oxygen you need.
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Overview. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a type of heart arrhythmia that causes the top chambers of your heart, the atria, to quiver and beat irregularly. AFib used to be described as chronic or acute, with chronic AFib lasting longer than one week.
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AFib episodes rarely cause serious problems, but they'll need to get checked out with a physical exam. If they're uncomfortable or their heart is beating rapidly, call 911 or go to an emergency room. Doctors may use medications or a device called a defibrillator to help their heart go back to a normal rhythm.
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AFib may be brief, with symptoms that come and go. It is possible to have an atrial fibrillation episode that resolves on its own. Or, the condition may be persistent and require treatment. Sometimes AFib is permanent, and medicines or other treatments can't restore a normal heart rhythm.
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This happens because when the valve leaks, it can cause the atrium to enlarge. An enlarged atrium may lead to heart rhythm problems such as atrial fibrillation, which may cause blood clots to form. When clots travel from the heart to the arteries or the brain, it can lead to a stroke or heart attack.
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Structural changes. High blood pressure forces your heart to pump harder and harder. When your heart is pushed to the limit for too long, the muscle doesn't get stronger – it gets thicker and stiffer. Electrical signals can't move as easily through a less flexible, enlarged heart muscle, and that could lead to AFib.
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The risk of developing atrial fibrillation increases with age and with other risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure and underlying heart disease. The main complications of atrial fibrillation are stroke and heart failure. Atrial fibrillation affects the top two chambers of the heart (the atria).
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Some people who have atrial fibrillation have significant problems with their heart and with exercise, the heart rate can race tremendously during atrial fibrillation, thereby exacerbating the underlying heart condition and may lead to problems such as very low blood pressure, heart failure or a loss of consciousness.
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AFib is considered valvular when it's seen in people who have a heart valve disorder or a prosthetic heart valve. Nonvalvular AFib generally refers to AFib caused by other things, such as high blood pressure or stress. There's still some debate over how exactly to define valvular AFib.
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['Blood clots that can cause a stroke or heart attack.', 'Inability of the heart to pump enough blood (heart failure)', 'Frequent fainting spells or unconsciousness.', 'Sudden death, usually only associated with ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation.']
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Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter are both types of SVT that are more common in older patients or patients with preexisting heart conditions. Atrial fibrillation can be more serious because, for some patients, it can lead to blood clots and increase stroke risk.
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In the most serious cases, paroxysmal A-fib can lead to heart failure or a stroke. According to the AHA, people who have A-fib are five times more likely to have a stroke than other people. This is because A-fib affects blood flow around the body. Blood can become static and can clot in the upper chamber of the heart.