Understanding AFib: The Forest Fire in Your Heart

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a progressive condition where abnormal heart cells create electricity and override the normal electrical rhythm of your heart. In this video, I explain the stages of AFib using a helpful analogy of a forest fire to demonstrate how this condition develops over time.

Key Highlights:
• What Causes AFib?
• Aging and the gradual formation of abnormal AFib cells in the left atrium of the heart.

• How AFib Progresses:
• AFib starts as a “small forest fire” in the back wall of the left atrium and spreads to other walls over time.
• The more walls it affects, the harder it is to return to a normal rhythm.

• The Official Stages of AFib:
• Paroxysmal AFib: Episodes last less than 7 days (early stage).
• Persistent AFib: Episodes last longer than 7 days (mid stage).
• Long-Standing Persistent AFib: Patients who have reached Persistent AFib stage and have been that way for over a year (advanced stage).
• Permanent AFib: AFib is present 100% of the time, and normal rhythm cannot be restored.

• Why Staging Matters:
• The stage of AFib determines the treatment approach:
• Medications to control symptoms.
• Ablation procedures to target and eliminate AFib cells.

Understanding the stages of AFib is critical because early detection and intervention can help prevent progression to more advanced stages.

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