The specialist’s goal is for the drugs to be added to a lifestyle that reduces risk.
Dr. Antonio Orraca, Board Member of the Puerto Rican Society of Cardiology. Photo: Provided by the Puerto Rican Cardiovascular Society to the Journal of Medicine and Public Health.
The Dr. Antonio Orraca, board member of the Puerto Rican Society of Cardiologyspoke exclusively with the Journal of Medicine and Public Health at ExpoSalud, in an effort to educate about the atrial fibrillation.
What is indicated by the specialist is that one of the populations most at risk are patients with high blood pressure, therefore, the recommendation for them is focused on healthy lifestyles and the improvement of eating habits.
“As we age, our heart changes structurally and blood pressure index. For this reason, we always recommend that patients take their pressure and report it to their doctor. The most that has an effect on pressure is weight” , did he declare. said. .
For this reason, he remembered that the atrial fibrillation It is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias, of which any factor that stimulates or affects the heart, either acutely or chronically, can irritate the organ and cause this arrhythmia.
“That’s why I tell my patients to pay attention to their diet, because as they improve their habits, we can achieve that the risks decrease and the disease progresses”, he commented.
He added that among the most common risk factors, age is the one to take into account, but it is uncontrollable, while the risk factors that we can control are hypertension, smoking and blood pressure. untreated sleep apnea.
“Symptoms are not visible in all patients, but many suffer from rapid heartbeat, chest pain, dizziness and loss of consciousness,” he explained.
The classification of arrhythmias is divided, as indicated by the specialist, into:
* Supraventricular tachycardias As their name suggests, these are arrhythmias with a heart rate greater than 100 bpm that originate in the atria or in the atrioventricular node. They differ from atrial extrasystoles in that they are sustained rather than isolated beats.
* Ventricular tachyarrhythmias are those that originate in the ventricles. They are more common in heart patients and, in general, more dangerous than supraventriculars.
Diagnostic approach and treatments:
“Once the condition is identified, treatments increase, and we believe that in the future there will be more thanks to advances. Apart from drugs, we also have to talk about blood thinners, which can be released causing risks in patients,” he said.
I specify that when determining the treatments several individualized factors intervene in each patient.
Dr. Orraca pointed out that Puerto Rico has top-notch specialists who are in charge of this process called ablation, which is usually performed with thin, flexible probes, called catheters, which are inserted into veins or arteries to the heart. .
“We are always looking for a way for the patient to have the most normal life possible.” On the other hand, he pointed out that career in health care is not just for specialists, but the patient must be committed to improving their lifestyle.
Watch the full interview: