Atrial Fibrillation Specialist
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CorCareTx
Cardiologists located in McKinney, TX
Atrial fibrillation, or AFib for short, leaves you feeling like your heart is beating out of your chest or skipping beats. Because atrial fibrillation is linked to life-threatening health conditions, including stroke, you need care from a cardiologist you can trust. At CorCareTX, you go through a full diagnosis with Brian Eades, MD, FACC. As a top Cardiologist in McKinney, Texas, Dr. Eades treats your atrial fibrillation and helps protect your heart. The caring team assists you with scheduling your first atrial fibrillation screening appointment, although you’re also welcome to use the online booking feature.
Atrial Fibrillation Q & A
What is atrial fibrillation?
Your heart should contract and relax at a steady pace. When you have atrial fibrillation though, your heart’s upper two chambers, or atria, beat irregularly. As a result, blood doesn’t flow into the lower chambers, the ventricles, as smoothly as it should. This often increases your risk of having blood clots.
Is atrial fibrillation a health concern?
Yes! Untreated atrial fibrillation nearly doubles your risk of suffering from a life-threatening heart condition. Your risk of stroke goes up too since blood clots from atrial fibrillation can get lodged in arteries that lead to your brain.
If you don’t have your atrial fibrillation treated, your risk of stroke is estimated to be five times higher than someone without the condition. Nearly 20% of stroke sufferers in the United States have atrial fibrillation, which is why proper treatment is critical for your health.
Will I know if I have atrial fibrillation?
Probably yes. Atrial fibrillation is associated with several warning signs and symptoms that often let men and women know that something is askew with their heart. You may experience:
- Quivering in your chest
- Chest pounding
- Fatigue and dizziness
- Irregular heartbeat
- Chest pain or pressure
- Weakness or sweating
How is atrial fibrillation treated?
Dr. Eades first step resets your heart’s rhythm. He does this by delivering an electrical shock to your heart while you’re sedated, or by giving you antiarrhythmic medications. Either way, you need to be monitored and could need a short hospital stay.
To help maintain a steady heart rhythm, Dr. Eades may prescribe blood thinners, beta blockers, or antiarrhythmic pills. If you don’t have success with these types of treatments, you might need surgery. Because Dr. Eades is an interventional cardiologist, he specializes in using catheters and minimally invasive surgical techniques to treat atrial fibrillation.
Some of the atrial fibrillation surgeries he regularly performs include:
- Surgical maze procedure
- Catheter ablation
- Atrioventricular node ablation
Surgery is preferably the last resort for treating atrial fibrillation. During your appointment, Dr. Eades lets you know if you’re a good candidate for a surgical procedure, or if you may benefit from an alternative treatment first.
