November 5th, 2019; Ras Al Khaimah, UAE:  Frequent fluttering in the chest, irregular heartbeat and palpitation could be signs of a more serious heart issue, warned Dr Aparna Jaswal, one of India’s leading cardiologists and visiting consultant at RAK Hospital. The condition, known as arrhythmia or Atrial Fibrillation (AF), can lead to ischemic strokes, heart failure, blood clots besides other complications. Dr. Jaswal cautioned people to keep a wary eye on these symptoms and take appropriate medical action.

 

“During arrhythmia, the heartbeat either picks up pace or slows down for apparently no reason happening at regular intervals,” explained Dr. Jaswal, adding, “Unfortunately, because the symptoms are atypical, they often go unnoticed and people generally do not associate them to heart issues. In reality, you could be suffering from heart rhythm problems that occur when the electrical impulses that coordinate heartbeats don't work properly.” 

 

In order to further educate UAE residents on heart-related complications and to create awareness, Dr. Jaswal – who specializes in Rhythm Disorders – will be visiting RAK Hospital on Saturday, November 9th from 9am to 5pm for consultation and to answer any queries.

 

Atrial Fibrillation occurs when the heart’s upper chambers beat irregularly and not in uniformity with the lower chambers. According to statistics published on heart.org, AF is responsible for about 15 to 20 percent of strokes. The website further claims that if left untreated, it can double the risk of heart-related deaths.

 

“Obviously a few isolated cases of heart beat fluctuation is not much to worry about since there could be several innocuous reasons behind those, such as cardio exercises. However, if people feel any signs of arrhythmia on a persistent basis, they should visit a doctor for a thorough check-up and management of the condition,” advises Dr. Jaswal. 

 

Causes of Atrial Fibrillation could be thyroid-related, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, congenital heart disease, a history of cardiac issues, excessive consumption of caffeine and alcohol, etc. Generally, the treatment ranges from medication to electrical shocks with the aim to stabilize the heartbeat and reduce heart-related complications. Often the treatment is gender-based and is personalized to suit the patient.