Atrial fibrillation is a problem related to the electrical activity of the heart. There are various methods of treatment for atrial fibrillation, with medication being one of the common ways. This article explains the condition and the manner in which different kinds of medication are used to treat it.

Atrial fibrillation is a disease of the heart. Also referred to as AFib, the disease is related to the electrical activity that takes place in the heart. It is a result of abnormal electrical impulses in the atria.

Atrial fibrillation causes symptoms like:

• A fluttering feeling in the heart
• Palpitations (tremors) in the heart
• Feeling faint
• Weakness
• Low blood pressure
• Rapid heartbeats
• Chest pain

If the symptoms become severe, it can lead to the accumulation of blood in the heart, resulting in a stroke.

1. Diagnosing atrial fibrillation
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is the main tool used to diagnose atrial fibrillation. The ECG shows the electrical signals in the heart. Fibrillation leads to changes in the normal ECG pattern that a doctor can find out by reading the chart.

An echocardiogram uses sound waves to understand what is happening in the heart and is another method used to confirm atrial fibrillation. Blood tests can also be used to understand the cause of atrial fibrillation.

2. Treatment through medication
Generally, the first treatment method used for atrial fibrillation is medication. These are prescribed based on individual symptoms and include the following:

• Blood thinners

Anticoagulants are blood thinners that help in preventing blood clots that could lead to strokes. Warfarin, aspirin, rivaroxaban, enoxaparin, are some of the drugs used for this purpose.

• Beta-blockers

Beta-blockers are drugs that help to block the receptors that can result in increased cardiac activity. The popular beta-blocker drugs are metoprolol, labetalol, nadolol, bisoprolol, and atenolol, among others.

• Calcium channel blockers

These drugs help to slow down the heart rate by preventing calcium from entering the cells in the heart. Blocking the calcium channel helps to relax the muscles of the heart. Diltiazem hydrochloride and verapamil hydrochloride are calcium channel blocking medicines.

• Sodium channel blockers

The electrical activity in the heart that is increased due to atrial fibrillation can be regulated by blocking the sodium channel. Some of the sodium channel blockers are propafenone, flecainide, mexiletine, and quinidine.

• Potassium channel blockers

Just as in the case of calcium and sodium channel blockers, potassium channel blockers help to ensure normal heartbeats. Amiodarone, sotalol, dofetilide are some of the potassium channel blockers.

3. Side effects of medication
Medications can have many side effects which may be serious in some cases and require immediate medical attention. Some of the various side effects of these medications are:

• Shortness of breath
• Slow heart rate (bradycardia)
• Fainting attack
• Increased palpitation in the heart
• Confusion and lethargy
• Excessive bleeding with blood in the stools and urine
• Angioedema (swelling under the skin)