02/27/2026
According to Heart and Vascular Institute cardiologist Dr. Daniel Nelson, “As we close out National Heart Month here are some insights into a common cardiovascular issue I see every day. As someone who specializes in electrophysiology my practice has many patients with Atrial Fibrillation otherwise known as Afib.
Afib is a type of heart rhythm disorder that causes your heart to beat irregularly. Normally, the heart rhythm beats in a regular and coordinated way, but in the case of atrial fibrillation, this rhythm is disrupted.
A normal resting heart rate is typically 60 to 100 beats per minute, but Afib can cause your heart to beat 100-170 beats per minute which can lead to symptoms like palpitations/irregular heartbeat, dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, fainting, or chest discomfort.
There are many potential causes for Afib and can include high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, thyroid issues, untreated sleep apnea, valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, heart failure, advanced age, congenital defects, cardiac surgery, certain drugs, smoking, and alcohol.
Many people these days have devices such as smartwatches that can suggest Afib, but a 12-lead EKG or a multi-day Holter (or Event) Monitor are the gold standard methods a physician uses to validate Afib.
Untreated Afib can cause severe, sometimes fatal, strokes as the irregular heartbeat allows blood to pool and then clot which then can travel to the brain. In addition, Afib can lead to heart failure if the heart rate remains elevated for a prolonged time.
Fortunately, there are many treatment options available for Afib. These range from medications, blood thinners (anticoagulants), and interventional procedures such as electrical cardioversion or atrial fibrillation ablation.
For patients who are unable to take blood thinners (anticoagulants) given increased bleeding risk we can perform a procedure called the Watchman left atrial appendage occlusion device to reduce the risk of stroke.”
