Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is an irregular, often rapid heart rate commonly characterized as heart palpitations or atrial flutters, that results in poor blood flow throughout the body. AFib affects more than 2.7 million people worldwide and can be a life-threatening condition, as it can result in congestive heart failure or stroke.
Our Approach to Treating AFib
Our cardiac specialists are experts at diagnosing and treating AFib and atrial flutter. With extensive experience and access to the latest tools and technology, we deliver the most effective treatment options — from medication to cardioversion or surgery — for your specific condition and unique needs.
Our doctors were leaders in pioneering the less invasive surgical and nonsurgical procedures, such as the mini-Maze and LARIAT procedures, used to treat AFib and its complications. We were also the first hospital in Texas to offer the WATCHMAN™ device, as well as participate in the clinical trials leading to its approval.
About AFib
AFib is characterized by a few common symptoms:
Chest pain
Dizziness or fainting
Fatigue
Heart palpitations
Shortness of breath
Weakness or problems exercising
To diagnose and help further define your specific AFib condition, your doctor may use one of the following tests:
Cardiac stress testing
Chest X-ray
CT scan
Physical exam
Transesophageal Echocardiogram
Wearable or implanted ECG monitor
How AFib is treated depends on the duration of the AFib, the frequency and severity of your symptoms such as palpitations, how well your heart functions and whether heart disease runs in your family.
Generally, heart medication is the first step in treating AFib and atrial flutter. These medications are used to control the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat and to prevent or treat blood clots.
Your cardiologist who specializes in arrhythmia may also use one of the following procedures to restore normal heart rhythm:
Catheter ablation – a catheter-based procedure that uses radio waves to destroy the abnormal heart tissue that is disrupting the normal flow of electrical signals
Electrical cardioversion – low-energy shocks that trigger a normal heart rhythm
Maze surgery – open heart bypass surgery that isolates the atrial tissue with radio waves and/or freezing in order to prevent the spread of disorganized electrical signals
Mini-Maze surgery – small incisions are used to access and destroy nerves that can initiate AFib, as well as close the left atrial appendage (which reduces the risk of blood clots and stroke)
In some cases, other nonsurgical and surgical procedures can be used to treat AFib.
Our experts pioneered a catheter-based procedure that provides long-term protection against stroke in people with atrial fibrillation. This approach focuses on the left atrial appendage (LAA), a major source of stroke-causing blood clots in people with AFib. Through a needle-puncture in the skin, the LAA is accessed and tied off with the use of the LARIAT procedure.
We also were the first hospital in Houston offer a device called the WATCHMAN™ — shown to be as effective as blood thinners in reducing stroke risk for people with AFib. The WATCHMAN™ procedure also has fewer potential side effects and risks associated with it than lifelong reliance on blood thinners.
The typical surgical treatment for AFib is the Cox-Maze procedure, which has an excellent success rate, but is highly invasive.
As an alternative to open surgery, our cardiovascular surgeons have perfected a minimally invasive approach called the mini-Maze procedure — a far less invasive way to treat AFib. In addition, since blood thinners aren’t required afterwards, this procedure is an effective option for people who cannot take blood thinners.
The benefits of our mini-Maze procedure are:
Faster recovery time and ability to return to normal life sooner
No blood thinners are required after the procedure
Reduced pain
Reduced risk of blood clots and stroke, since the left atrial appendage is also closed during this procedure
Our surgeons are also experts in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), another minimally invasive procedure used to diagnose and treat AFib. During this procedure, small incisions are made in your chest. Through these incisions, a tiny camera is inserted to help guide the surgeon and special surgical instruments are inserted to perform the procedure.
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Triumph Over AFib: Mark’s Story
After running several marathons and deciding he needed a stress test, Mark Staudt's EKG showed that he was experiencing atrial fibrillation. Read Mark’s story >
