Atrial Fibrillation Video Series: Day One
New to Atrial Fibrillation? Start Here
I’m Mr. Inder Birdi, a Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at The Keyhole Heart Clinic. If you’re reading this, you or someone you care about may have encountered atrial fibrillation (AF). I know it can sound alarming, but I’m here to guide you through it step by step in this email series. Let’s start at the beginning: what is atrial fibrillation?
Under normal conditions, your heart beats in a steady rhythm, controlled by an electrical signal from the heart’s natural pacemaker. In atrial fibrillation, those signals become disorganized in the upper chambers of the heart (the atria). Instead of a smooth, regular beat, the atria quiver rapidly and irregularly – imagine a drum player suddenly losing tempo. This chaos can make your pulse feel irregular or fast. The good news is that AF itself is not immediately life-threatening, but it does require attention because it can lead to other issues over time (more on that in a later email).
You might hear AF described as “arrhythmia” – that simply means an abnormal heart rhythm. It’s a common condition and, importantly, it’s manageable. Many people with AF continue to live full, active lives with the right care. In this series, I will walk you through everything from why AF happens to the treatments available. Whether you’ve been newly diagnosed, are a concerned family member, or even just someone who worries about their heart health, these emails are for you. You’re not alone, and understanding AF is the first step in taking control of your heart health.
Stay tuned: In our next email, we’ll discuss how common AF is and who is at risk, so you can see where you fit in and why this condition is getting so much attention nowadays.
