Arrhythmias and Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Treatments

Your heart is your body’s rhythm keeper, and when that rhythm feels off, it’s natural to be concerned. Arrhythmias can cause a variety of symptoms, some subtle and others more noticeable. If you experience fluttering sensations, unexplained fatigue or dizziness, it’s important to listen to your body.

At AdventHealth, we’re here to help you understand the signs of arrhythmias and take the next steps toward a healthier heart. While symptoms can vary, some common indicators of an irregular heartbeat include:

• Chest discomfort or pain: A feeling of pressure, tightness or pain in the chest that may come and go.
• Dizziness or lightheadedness: A sensation of feeling unsteady, woozy or near fainting.
• Fainting or near-fainting episodes: Sudden loss of consciousness or feeling like you’re going to pass out.
• Fatigue or weakness: Unusual tiredness or lack of energy, even with normal activities.
• Heart palpitations: A fluttering, racing, pounding or irregular heartbeat sensation.
• Shortness of breath: Difficulty breathing or feeling winded, even without exertion.
• Sweating without exertion: Unexpected or excessive sweating not caused by heat or physical activity.

If you notice any of these symptoms, especially if they happen frequently or suddenly, don’t wait to seek care. Our team is ready to assess your heart’s rhythm, find the cause and create a plan to restore balance to your heartbeat so you can focus on living fully.

When your heart is beating irregularly, it's hard to think about anything else. If you feel consistent fluttering or racing heart rates, shortness of breath or lightheadedness, don’t hesitate to come to AdventHealth. Our network offers some of the fastest diagnostic tests for atrial fibrillation and arrhythmias, so we can diagnose you quickly and get you the treatment you need.

Your cardiologists will work with you to assess any risk factors like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and sleep apnea, and make a comprehensive plan to identify and treat the cause of your irregular heartbeat. Some of our diagnostic tests include:

• Blood tests: Lab tests that check for conditions like infections, electrolyte imbalances or heart disease that may contribute to arrhythmias.
• Catheter mapping: A procedure that uses a thin tube (catheter) to create a detailed map of the heart’s electrical activity and identify irregular rhythms.
• Echocardiograms: An ultrasound of the heart that provides images of its structure and function to detect abnormalities.
• Electrocardiograms (EKG): A test that records the heart’s electrical activity to identify irregular heartbeats.
• Longer-term heart monitoring devices: Wearable or implantable devices like Holter monitors, loop recorders or event recorders that track heart rhythms over time.
• Physical exams: A hands-on assessment where a doctor listens to the heart, checks pulse patterns and looks for signs of heart conditions.
• Stress tests: A test that monitors heart activity during exercise or medication-induced stress to detect irregular rhythms.
• Tilt tests: A procedure that evaluates how the heart and blood pressure respond to changes in position, often used to diagnose fainting episodes.

Whatever the reason for your irregular heartbeat, we'll help you feel more secure about your condition with information and answers. Arrhythmias can mean different things for your heartbeat: fast (tachycardia) or slow (bradycardia), persistent or permanent, atrial or ventricular. Types of arrhythmias include:

• Atrial flutter: A heart palpitation common in people with hypertension, cardiomyopathy or coronary artery disease.
• Paroxysmal AFib: An unpredictable and periodic episode of AFib where the heart returns to a natural rhythm on its own.
• Permanent AFib: An irregular heartbeat rhythm that cannot be corrected with treatment.
• Persistent AFib: An episode that lasts longer than two days and is corrected with treatment.
• Ventricular arrhythmias: These can be heart disease-related blockages and slower, supraventricular tachycardia, where the heart rate speeds up, and ventricular tachycardia, where the lower chambers of the heart are out of sync.

Atrial fibrillation can cause stroke by pumping clots to the brain, so if you have concerns about your heart, don’t want to seek care — and lean on us to help you heal. Learn more about identifying and treating stroke.