Can Afibrillation Cause Chest Pain and Shortness of Breath? Posted: 03-06-06 04:14am
I'VE HAD A FIB SINCE JUNE OF 1999, AND
WHEN I WAS PREGNANT WITH MY DAUGHTER LAST
YEAR I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL 9 TIMES FOR MY
HEART AND DIABETES. I HAD MY AUGHTER IN
AUGUST OF 05 AND I'M STILL HAVING
PROBLEMS. I SEE MY HEART DR AND SHE HAS ME
ON COUMADIN. WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS CAN A
FIB CAUSE CHEST PAIN AND SHORTNESS OF
BREATH? EVERYTIME I LAY DOWN OR GO TO PICK
UP MY LITTLE GIRL I CAN'T BREATH. I DON'T
KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT A FIB. MY DOCTOR TOLD
ME THAT THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY HEART IS NOT
PUMPING ENOUGH BLOOD. I JUST WANT TO KNOW
WHAT OTHER SYMPTOMS A FIB HAS.
THANKS..
The heart contracts when stimulated by
electrical impulses that it produces on
its own. Any part of the heart muscle can
produce electrical impulses that will
cause heart contractions. Normally, the
sinus node acts as the heart rhythm guide.
The sinus node is found in the right
heart's pre-chamber. The sinus node
self-creates electrical impulses
(auto-excitation); the pulse rate,
however, is controlled by the
neuron-vegetative system (simpaticus and
parasimpaticus). Electrical impulses
from the sinus node are then conducted to
another node (atrial-ventricular) and from
there are transmitted through Hiss’s
fascicle into the heart chamber’s
muscles. This means that one electrical
impulse produced in the sinus node causes
one contraction of the heart muscle. In
atrial fibrillation, many electrical
impulses are produced from various places
in the heart’s atria. Not all those
impulses will reach the chambers and cause
contractions because some will be stopped
in the atrio-ventricular node. But if
there are many impulses produced in the
atria(over 200 per minute), many of them
will pass through the atrio-ventricular
node and will reach the chambers causing
the heart to contract too quickly (over
160 per minute). This may occur suddenly.
it is called "supra-ventricular paroxysmal
tachycardia". Such a heart rate is not
effective and manifests with chest pain
and breath shortness. While the chambers
contract quickly, the atria are only
trembling. This atrial trembling creates a
condition for the development of blood
clots. Blood clots created in the
heart’s atria can cause thrombo-embolism
in distant organs (lungs, brain,
extremities, intestines etc.). Your doctor
prescribed you Coumadin in order to
prevent blood clotting in the atria.
Atrial fibrillation is treated with
digoxin, verapamil or another
anti-arrhythmic drug.
DISCLAIMER: "Ask a Doctor" Questions are answered by Dr. Nikola Gjuzelov, General Practitioner. Dr. Gjuzelov practices medicine for the general public and is affiliated with the Republic of Macedonia Public Health Institution. For more information about Dr. Gjuzelov or other eHealthForum.com medical experts, please visit our About Us page. You may also visit our Heart Disease and Heart Attack Forum, for moderated patient to patient support and information.
The material presented in the eHealth Forum Discussion Forums and Ask A Doctor is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified licensed medical professional. eHealth Forum and eHealth Forum's Ask A Doctor advises all users with health problems and concerns to consult their personal doctors. Furthermore, if you have any questions or concerns about your condition, you must consult your qualified licenseced medical professional before starting any treatment.
The materials in the eHealth Forum Discussion Forums and Ask A Doctor cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. To the fullest extent possible, eHealth Forum and eHealth Forum's Ask A Doctor expressly excludes all liability in respect of the information and opinions contained in the Discussion Forums and Ask A Doctor, this Web site, or any sites linked to this Web site.
The heart contracts because of the
electrical impulses produced by its own.
Any part of the heart muscle can produce
electrical impulses that will cause heart
contractions but in normally only so
called sinus node should be the heart
rhythm guide. The sinus node is placed in
the right heart pre-chamber. The sinus
node creates electrical impulses by its
own (auto-excitation). Only the rate of
the created electrical impulses in the
sinus node is controlled by the
neuron-vegetative system (simpaticus and
parasimpaticus). Electrical impulses
from the sinus node are then conducted to
another node (atrial-ventricular) and from
there trough the Hiss’s fascicle in to
the heart chamber’s muscle. This means
that normally one electrical impulse
produced in the sinus node causes one
contraction of the heart muscle. In atrial
fibrillation many electrical impulses are
produced from various places in the
heart’s atria. Not all those impulses
will reach the chambers and cause
contractions because some will be stopped
in the atrio-ventricular node. But if
there are many impulses produced in the
atria(over 200 per minute), many of them
will pass through the atrio-ventricular
node and will reach the chambers causing
heart contractions with too big rate(over
160 per minute). This may occur suddenly
and is called supra-ventricular paroxysmal
tachycardia. Such big heart rate is not
effective and is manifested with chest
pain and breath shortness. While chambers
are contracting with high rate the atria
are only trembling. This atrial trembling
makes condition for developing blood
clots. Blood cloths created in the
heart’s atria can cause thrombo-embolism
in distant organs (lungs, brain,
extremities, intestines etc.). Your doctor
prescribed you Coumadin for preventing
blood clotting in the atria. Atrial
fibrillation is treated with digoxin,
verapamil or some other anti-arrhythmic
drug.
DISCLAIMER: "Ask a Doctor" Questions are answered by Dr. Nikola Gjuzelov, General Practitioner. Dr. Gjuzelov practices medicine for the general public and is affiliated with the Republic of Macedonia Public Health Institution. For more information about Dr. Gjuzelov or other eHealthForum.com medical experts, please visit our About Us page. You may also visit our Heart Disease and Heart Attack Forum, for moderated patient to patient support and information.
The material presented in the eHealth Forum Discussion Forums and Ask A Doctor is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified licensed medical professional. eHealth Forum and eHealth Forum's Ask A Doctor advises all users with health problems and concerns to consult their personal doctors. Furthermore, if you have any questions or concerns about your condition, you must consult your qualified licenseced medical professional before starting any treatment.
The materials in the eHealth Forum Discussion Forums and Ask A Doctor cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. To the fullest extent possible, eHealth Forum and eHealth Forum's Ask A Doctor expressly excludes all liability in respect of the information and opinions contained in the Discussion Forums and Ask A Doctor, this Web site, or any sites linked to this Web site.
