Anything that affects your heart is scary, especially when it’s not beating like it should. Arrhythmias affect not only how fast your heart beats but also the rhythm of the beating. It’s entirely normal for your heart rate to increase during stress and exercise, but your rhythm shouldn’t change. There are many types of arrhythmias, and atrial flutter is one of them.
At Lone Star Heart and Vascular Center in Tomball, Texas, our top-notch team specializes in problems that affect your heart. Our cardiologists offer EKG testing to determine if you’re suffering from an arrhythmia. If so, they will develop a personalized treatment plan.
Arrhythmias are problems that cause your heart to beat irregularly. Some arrhythmias don’t cause any symptoms at all, while others lead to significant issues that require immediate treatment.
There are three main types of arrhythmias, and they are:
These arrhythmias originate in the atria of your heart. Atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation are examples of supraventricular arrhythmias.
The ventricles, or lower chambers in your heart, are the origin of these arrhythmias. Ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation are types of ventricular arrhythmias.
Bradyarrhythmias cause a slower-than-normal heartbeat. They’re often caused by an issue in an area other than the ventricles or atria of the heart.
Atrial flutter is an arrhythmia that originates in the top chambers of your heart. In this arrhythmia, something causes your atria to pump more rapidly than usual.
The problem with atrial flutter is that there’s a problem with the electrical impulses, which causes the atria to beat too fast. This doesn’t allow the atria to fill the whole way between each beat.
Atrial flutter also affects your ventricles. During this arrhythmia, the ventricles are also forced to beat faster than usual, although not quite as fast as the atria.
There’s a high risk of blood clots because blood stays in the atria due to the rapid heart rate. A blood clot in the heart can lead to a heart attack or a stroke, both of which can be deadly.
There are both typical and atypical atrial flutters. Typical atrial flutter originates in the right atrium of your heart. Atypical atrial flutter starts in the left atria of the heart.
The signs and symptoms of atrial flutter differ from person to person. If you have episodes of atrial flutter, you may experience several symptoms, which include:
Although atrial flutter causes your heart to beat fast, the rhythm is usually steady. Unlike atrial fibrillation, which changes your heart rhythm, atrial flutter is typically a regular pattern of beats faster than usual.
Our team determines the best treatment route based on your symptoms, overall health, and age. Not all atrial flutter needs to be treated. Sometimes, it simply goes away by itself. However, if the arrhythmia persists, your cardiologist may recommend:
This procedure uses a flexible tube inserted into a vessel in your neck or leg. The tube follows the vessel to your heart, where it’s placed near the area of the heart causing the arrhythmia. Radiofrequency energy is exerted, damaging and destroying the cells, causing the problem.
These medications either control the rate or rhythm of your heart. Although they’re often less effective than an ablation or cardioversion, they can help to keep your heart from converting to atrial flutter.
Anticoagulant medications help prevent blood clots from forming. Arrhythmias can lead to abnormal blood clotting, which can be dangerous if one breaks off and travels to the heart or lungs.
This treatment is done while you’re sedated. It helps to relieve the atrial flutter temporarily. Cardioverson is when a small amount of electricity is delivered under a controlled setting. This resets your heart rhythm temporarily.
If you suspect you may have an atrial flutter or any other heart concern, contact Lone Star Heart and Vascular today. Call the office or use the online tool to set up an appointment.
