AFib: Know the warning signs, when to speak up

MUSC doctor: Women get treated later than, not as aggressively as men
Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is a common heart rhythm disorder in which the upper chambers of the heart beat fast and irregularly. The condition can have substantial symptoms including heart palpitations and shortness of breath. AFib is becoming exceedingly common, especially in those over age 65.
 
“Atrial fibrillation can have a negative impact on quality of life, including increasing the risk of stroke,” said Dr. Anne Kroman, assistant professor in the College of Medicine and a cardiac electrophysiologist at MUSC Health Heart and Vascular Center.
 
Women should know the signs and symptoms of AFib because they tend to be diagnosed and treated much later than men and have worse outcomes, says Kroman.
 
“Women with atrial fibrillation don’t get treated as soon or as aggressively as men do, and they don’t get offered the same types of options,” Kroman said. “There’s often a longer time from when a woman is diagnosed to when she’s referred to a cardiologist or specialist to discuss options.”
 
One reason is that women with AFib often don’t have the same symptoms as men and may not recognize the less severe symptoms, such as weakness and fatigue. 
 
“Women patients experiencing AFib symptoms are often offered medicine but not a referral to cardiology or electrophysiology. Their symptoms are often dismissed, chalked up to anxiety or stress,” Kroman said. “So their symptoms go uninvestigated.”
 
Ending the Disparity
 
This disparity has existed for a long time and is well documented in national studies and data. “But once women get to us, that discrepancy goes away,” Kroman said. “And the treatments for AFib work just as well in women as in men.” 
 
MUSC Health is working to address the disparity by developing rapid access atrial fibrillation clinics, specialized clinics tailored to patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation, throughout the state. The clinics ensure patients see a cardiac electrophysiologist sooner, with treatment options presented earlier than in a traditional medical setting.
 
“The sooner we see these patients — from the time of initial diagnosis – the sooner we can get them on an appropriate treatment plan to help reduce their symptoms,” Kroman explained.
 
SYMPTOMS
 
• Racing heartbeat
 
• Palpitations, as if your heart is fluttering or skipping a beat
 
• Shortness of breath
 
• Not able to exercise for as long or as well as in the past
 
• Difficulty doing routine activities
 
While these are typical symptoms, men and women experience AFib differently. Some women have no symptoms at all, and are more likely to feel: lightheaded or dizzy, weak or easily tired.
 
SELF-ADVOCATE   
 
• Further testing
 
• Prolonged monitoring
 
• A referral to a subspecialist
 
TREATMENT 
 
• Medicines, including blood thinners. Ask your specialist about medicines that are most effective for women.
 
• Procedural options, including outpatient catheter ablation. This procedure targets the heart tissue that creates the irregular heartbeat to reduce and or eliminate the occurrence of atrial fibrillation. 
 
“It’s a cornerstone of therapeutic options for AFib and is shown to be both safe and effective,” Kroman said.
 
To learn more, call 843-792-1952 or visit MUSC Health’s Heart and Vascular Center.
 

Daniel Island Publishing

225 Seven Farms Drive
Unit 108
Daniel Island, SC 29492 

Office Number: 843-856-1999
Fax Number: 843-856-8555

 

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