An Overview of Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery
Before we discuss the specifics of
atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery, you should know a little about the normal process of a heartbeat.
Your heart is only able to beat because it sends electrical signals from an area in your heart called the SA node, or the main pacemaker.
This is the SA node at work:
In a normal situation, the electrical signals cause the upper parts of the heart to beat together. This pushes blood into the lower parts of the heart. Then, as the electrical signals continue through the heart, the lower chambers contract to push blood out of the heart.
Sometimes, things go wrong in the heart's electrical pathways. After
open heart surgery when the heart is recovering, the electrical signals can become disorganized. This creates abnormal heartbeats. The heart may beat too slowly, too rapidly, or just irregularly.
Irregular heart rhythms are a relatively common occurrence after cardiac surgery. Fortunately, most of these are very brief and cause no symptoms.
Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery: Specifics
One example of an irregular heart rhythm after cardiac surgery that does create symptoms is called atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation symptoms may include a rapid heart rate or a pounding in your chest. This abnormal rhythm is caused by too many electrical signals in the upper heart chambers or atria. Why atrial fibrillation occurs after cardiac surgery is not known. Your heart simply does not contract in a coordinated manner, but instead quivers. However, your doctor can treat atrial fibrillation, should it occur.
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