Atrial fibrillation is on the increase. But if you or a loved one are among the estimated 2.7 to 6.1 million people 在美国，一种突破性的治疗方法现已问世.
The new method, pulsed field ablation (PFA), 已经证明治疗某些形式的房颤有良好的效果吗. 与传统技术相比，它的手术时间更快，对心脏邻近结构的风险也更小, making a generally safe procedure potentially even safer.
“能够为我们的病人提供这种方法是令人兴奋的，”他说 Rajbir Sangha, MD, 谁在十大正规博彩网站评级正规博彩平台希区柯克医疗中心提供PFA Heart and Vascular Center. “这是目前可用的许多治疗方案之一，可以帮助我们治疗这种日益常见的疾病."
“This technology has been in the works for a decade, 但直到最近才在美国上市.S. 我们很幸运能成为全国首批提供PFA作为患者选择的医院之一,” says Kevin Kwaku, MD, PhD, 十大正规博彩网站评级正规博彩平台希区柯克医疗中心心脏和血管中心心脏电生理学主任.
What is AFib
介绍脉冲场消融治疗心房颤动, also known as AFib, comes at a crucial time.
心房颤动是目前最常见的心律异常类型. Researchers estimate that U.S. cases will reach 12.1 million by 2030.
“一些病人描述说，这种感觉就像一条鱼在你心里扑腾，或者一只蝴蝶在你心里扇动翅膀,” says Sangha. “But not always. 有时人们根本感觉不到房颤的发生, 或者有更细微的症状，如疲劳或呼吸短促.”
随着年龄的增长，患AFib的成年人数量增加，但它可以出现在任何年龄. Recent studies 甚至有越来越多的20多岁的优秀运动员患有这种疾病.
Some factors can make you more prone to the condition. These risk factors include:
- High blood pressure
- Underlying heart disease
- Excess weight
- Drinking alcohol
- Sleep apnea
- Family history
- Other chronic conditions such as hyperthyroidism, diabetes, asthma, and other chronic medical problems
“To have the best chance of maintaining normal rhythm, 对患者来说，努力控制可改变的风险因素是至关重要的,” Kwaku emphasizes.
What happens when a heart goes into AFib
Normally, 心脏的跳动是由位于右心房窦结的起搏器细胞发起的, or right-upper heart chamber. Every time those cells fire, 窦结产生电信号，引起心房(上腔)收缩. 然后信号通过房室结流入心室(下腔)，使其收缩.
Unlike a heart attack, 哪一种是由冠状动脉阻塞导致的, atrial fibrillation is an electrical problem. When a heart goes into atrial fibrillation, 心脏上腔的电信号变得混乱, leading the lower chambers to contract often rapidly, and always, irregularly. 心率过快和不规律都会导致严重的症状, impacting quality of life.
AFib is often placed in one of three categories. 在阵发性心房颤动中，发作自行开始和停止. 有这种经历的患者可能更年轻，他们经常有明显的症状，比如头晕, chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
In persistent atrial fibrillation, 发作是持续的，必须将心脏电击恢复到正常的心律(这一过程称为心律复律)。.
Over time, 永久性房颤可以发展，心脏不能恢复正常的心律.
Not everyone needs treatment for AFib
Treatment is not always necessary.
对一些人来说，心脏失火可能相对无关紧要, 特别是当纤颤持续很短的时间，并能够恢复正常的心跳自己.
However, 心房颤动会导致血栓的风险增加，血栓会阻碍流向大脑的血液，从而导致中风.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 指出研究表明心房颤动导致了美国七分之一的中风. Because of this risk, 抗凝剂或血液稀释剂是许多AFib患者治疗的重要组成部分.
What treatments exist?
患者根据诊断结果与医生共同决定是否以及如何治疗房颤, symptom burden, and other factors.
Possible treatments include anti-arrhythmic medications; non-invasive but temporary procedures like cardioversion; and minimally invasive catheter ablation procedures, which diminish the heart’s propensity to go into AFib.
更罕见的是，更有侵入性的方法，如起搏器或其他形式的手术.
Ablation
Studies show that in around 70 to 80 percent of cases, 单次消融术有助于显著减少心房颤动及其症状.
心房颤动的热消融包括将一根柔性导管插入血管并将其送入心脏, 高温或低温通常针对进入左心房的肺静脉周围区域.
“在过去的几年里，技术发展迅速，与热消融相比，现在PFA提供了更高的安全性,” says Sangha.
PFA involves electroporation, which is the delivery of rapid, high-voltage pulsed electrical fields to the heart tissue. “Think of it as a discharge of static electricity—it packs a punch without generating much heat,” says Kwaku. 这降低了周围非心脏结构受损的风险.
治疗是否适合你或你所爱的人将由你的医生在明确诊断AFib后决定. That diagnosis likely comes after an ECG, or ambulatory monitor, 对你的症状和危险因素进行深入评估.
If you don’t need treatment
Everyone can take measures to protect their heart. Frequently recommended lifestyle changes include:
- Regular physical activity
- 低盐、低饱和脂肪、低反式脂肪和低胆固醇的心脏健康饮食
- Managing high blood pressure
- Avoiding excessive amounts of alcohol
- Not smoking
- Controlling your cholesterol
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Diagnosing and treating Sleep apnea
So what should you do if you have been diagnosed with AFib?
处理心律失常的心脏病学亚专业被称为电生理学. If you have been diagnosed with AFib and have symptoms, 要求去看心脏电生理学家，了解哪些选择可能适合你.