Heart arrhythmia

Our heart specialists and multidisciplinary teams at the A-fib Center offer personalized, effective and timely treatments for your heart condition or disorder. They work together to help you get back to normal life without unnecessary discomfort. Find a doctor.

What is A-fib? Atrial fibrillation or A-fib is an irregular and often rapid heartbeat in which the top two chambers of the heart, called atria, do not beat in coordination with the two lower chambers of the heart, called ventricles. When the heart is beating in A-fib, it may not pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body, which can lead to blood clots as well as causing chest pain, dizziness, weakness and fatigue

What are common symptoms of A-fib? Some people have no symptoms and do not know when their heart is in A-fib. Other people may feel dizziness, shortness of breath particularly with any exertion, chest discomfort, sensations of a racing or pounding heartbeat (palpitations) and weakness or fatigue.

What are the greatest risks of having A-fib? The greatest risks are stroke, heart failure fainting or near-fainting (syncope) and long-term detrimental health effects such as dementia.

What are the signs of a stroke? Healthcare professionals use the acronym FAST:

• Facial drooping/numbness (ask them to smile)
• Arm weakness/numbness (ask them to raise both arms)
• Speech difficulties (ask them to repeat a simple phase like Jack and Jill went up the hill)
• Time to call 911 if the person fails any part of the test. You should note the time and call 911 for help. Time is the most critical thing!

What are some risk factors for A-fib? High blood pressure, prior heart attack, advanced age, heart disease, heart valve problems, thyroid disease, diabetes, weighing more than you should, sleep apnea, alcohol, family history, stress, not exercising or extreme exercise as well as other less common factors all may cause atrial fibrillation.

Are you or a loved one living with atrial fibrillation (A-fib) or another heart condition? Join us for one of our monthly patient symposiums! These free classes are taught by medical experts and will focus on recent developments in heart care, current cardiovascular practices and innovative treatments for A-fib and other conditions.  Living with atrial fibrillation or any other disorder doesn’t have to be hard—join us to learn how to get back to living your life! Register now.

We are excited to expand our hospital’s footprint with the construction of a new patient tower to help us better serve Salt Lake County and the surrounding communities! The emergency room at St. Mark’s Hospital and the rest of our patient care services will remain open during the duration of this project, though some of our commonly used entrances will be disrupted. Please visit The New St. Marks, which is a reference for how to enter the hospital, where to park and to stay up-to-date on construction progress.

Stay up-to-date on all things A-fib! Our healthy living blog is all about providing you with relevant and timely health information. To read the latest updates, visit our blog.