PCL Week 1- Prognosis & Compliations

Atrial Fibrillation

Prognosis

The prognosis for patients with atrial fibrillations depends on many factors, such as:

· Overall health and whether other heart problems are present- risk of stroke and of premature death increases if there are other health problems like high blood pressure coronary artery disease

· Age- associated with reduced life expectancy in older patients

· Type of atrial fibrillation- The likelihood of eliminating atrial fibrillation is small if it is persistent, chronic or combined with severe heart disease

· Response to treatment-

1. Most patients who experience atrial fibrillation as a one time or intermittent event, or in conjunction with a heart attack, have successful outcomes when treated using anticoagulant drugs and/or anti-arrhythmic drugs

2. Most patients with chronic or persistent fibrillation do well with drug therapy, although their need for it may be life-long

Complications

Atrial fibrillation complications include:

· Blood clots

· Pulmonary embolism

· Stroke

· Congestive heart failure

Blood clots

· When the atria quiver instead of contracting normally, more blood often gets left behind instead of being pumped into the ventricles

· When blood pools like this inside the atria, it can trigger the formation of unwanted clots

Pulmonary embolism

· A blood clot can get lodged in the blood vessels of the lungs and block the blood flow which is called a pulmonary embolism

Stroke

· The formation of blood clot can block blood flow to the brain which results in a stroke

Congestive heart failure

· Persistent or frequent periods of atrial fibrillation that last for a few months or longer can cause the walls of the heart chambers to become stretched out

· This makes the heart weaker, and can lead to congestive heart failure

· When this happens, the heart can no longer pump enough blood to meet the body's needs, and fluid can become backed up in several places

· The feet, legs, and abdomen can all become swollen from excess fluid (peripheral oedema)

· This fluid can also accumulate in the lungs, making it harder to breathe (dyspnoea)