Information for patients with atrial fibrillation
What is atrial fibrillation – and is it serious?
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an irregular heartbeat. It is caused by a failure
of the heart’s natural pacemaker that is responsible for orchestrating
the coordinated contractions of the four chambers of the heart.
Under normal circumstances the pacemaker first makes the two
chambers at the top of the heart (the atria) contract, squeezing blood
into the two lower chambers (the ventricles). These in turn are
triggered to contract, squeezing blood out into the arteries.
In atrial fibrillation, a malfunction of the pacemaker interrupts this
coordinated sequence of contractions causing the atria to twitch
erratically – known as fibrillation – and the ventricles to contract more
often and irregularly. Not surprisingly the heart works less effectively
as a pump in atrial fibrillation, with the result that there are areas
within the heart where blood flow is slow or stagnant. Where this
happens blood clots can form and it is these that account for the
increased risk of stroke associated with atrial fibrillation.
of the heart’s natural pacemaker that is responsible for orchestrating
the coordinated contractions of the four chambers of the heart.
Under normal circumstances the pacemaker first makes the two
chambers at the top of the heart (the atria) contract, squeezing blood
into the two lower chambers (the ventricles). These in turn are
triggered to contract, squeezing blood out into the arteries.
In atrial fibrillation, a malfunction of the pacemaker interrupts this
coordinated sequence of contractions causing the atria to twitch
erratically – known as fibrillation – and the ventricles to contract more
often and irregularly. Not surprisingly the heart works less effectively
as a pump in atrial fibrillation, with the result that there are areas
within the heart where blood flow is slow or stagnant. Where this
happens blood clots can form and it is these that account for the
increased risk of stroke associated with atrial fibrillation.
Why atrial fibrillation increases your stroke risk
The problem with a blood clot in the heart is that some or all of it
can break away and travel along major blood vessels directly into the
brain. As these very large blood vessels branch and reduce in size, at
some stage the clot or fragment of clot is going to be too large to
progress any further and will block the vessel in which it is travelling.
This means that the area of the brain downstream can no longer
receive the oxygen and nutrients that the blood normally delivers,
causing the nerve cells to stop working and ultimately die.
This is what happens in a stroke – or more specifically in an ischaemic
stroke (meaning one caused by an interruption in the blood supply).
Because clots forming in the heart may be quite big they can block
the larger branch vessels that supply extensive areas of the brain.
Consequently, strokes arising from atrial fibrillation can be very
serious, which is why it is so important to prevent them.
can break away and travel along major blood vessels directly into the
brain. As these very large blood vessels branch and reduce in size, at
some stage the clot or fragment of clot is going to be too large to
progress any further and will block the vessel in which it is travelling.
This means that the area of the brain downstream can no longer
receive the oxygen and nutrients that the blood normally delivers,
causing the nerve cells to stop working and ultimately die.
This is what happens in a stroke – or more specifically in an ischaemic
stroke (meaning one caused by an interruption in the blood supply).
Because clots forming in the heart may be quite big they can block
the larger branch vessels that supply extensive areas of the brain.
Consequently, strokes arising from atrial fibrillation can be very
serious, which is why it is so important to prevent them.
How to avoid a stroke from atrial fibrillation
As you have seen in the preceding pages, if you have atrial fibrillation
you are at an increased risk of stroke due to the formation of blood
clots in the heart. So what can be done to reduce this risk?
Clots are formed in a process known as coagulation. This is a
complex series of steps that must occur in a specific sequence. Hence,
by interrupting one or more of these steps it is possible to reduce the
likelihood of a clot forming and thereby decrease the risk of stroke.
The drugs that block the coagulation process in this way are known
as anticoagulants
For many years the most commonly used anticoagulants for stroke
prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation have been the vitamin K
antagonists. Drugs in this class, such as warfarin, are affected by
interactions with a number of common foods and with other drugs.
As a result, frequent blood tests are needed to find the appropriate
dosage – a process known as monitoring.
Recent developments have resulted in new oral anticoagulants that
can be used as alternatives to vitamin K antagonists. Currently these
include a direct thrombin inhibitor and an oral, direct Factor Xa
inhibitor. These new drugs are largely free from interactions and
consequently do not require monitoring.
you are at an increased risk of stroke due to the formation of blood
clots in the heart. So what can be done to reduce this risk?
Clots are formed in a process known as coagulation. This is a
complex series of steps that must occur in a specific sequence. Hence,
by interrupting one or more of these steps it is possible to reduce the
likelihood of a clot forming and thereby decrease the risk of stroke.
The drugs that block the coagulation process in this way are known
as anticoagulants
For many years the most commonly used anticoagulants for stroke
prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation have been the vitamin K
antagonists. Drugs in this class, such as warfarin, are affected by
interactions with a number of common foods and with other drugs.
As a result, frequent blood tests are needed to find the appropriate
dosage – a process known as monitoring.
Recent developments have resulted in new oral anticoagulants that
can be used as alternatives to vitamin K antagonists. Currently these
include a direct thrombin inhibitor and an oral, direct Factor Xa
inhibitor. These new drugs are largely free from interactions and
consequently do not require monitoring.
- Atrial fibrillation
- A heart rhythm disorder where chambers in the upper heart (atria) beat more rapidly than those in the lower section of the heart. Blood is not pumped out of the upper chambers completely during beating, and may pool and form a clot. A stroke results if a section of clot dislodges from the upper chambers and becomes lodged in the brain.
- Thrombin
- Enzyme in the blood clotting cascade that promotes the formation of blood clots.
