Can I do sports with atrial fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation often does not occur just like that, but has a triggering cause. These triggering causes include circulatory disorders of the coronary arteries (coronary heart disease, CHD), high blood pressure (arterial hypertension), heart valve defects and heart muscle disease. Thyroid gland disorders can also lead to atrial fibrillation.
However, in about 1/3 of atrial fibrillation cases, no cause can be found. Nevertheless, it is extremely important to search for a triggering cause when atrial fibrillation first occurs. If, for example, a circulatory disorder of the heart vessels is the cause, further sport without prior treatment can lead to dangerous complications.
Once the cause of the atrial fibrillation has been found and treated or the main possible causes have been safely excluded, further sports can be done. However, it should be remembered that certain drugs used to lower the heart rate and control the rhythm of atrial fibrillation (beta-blockers) limit the maximum heart rate and thus limit performance. Patients with a known degree of atrial fibrillation should also be careful not to overexert themselves completely and pause immediately at the first sign of symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or excessive heartbeat.In principle, atrial fibrillation is no reason to stop doing sports. However, the above-mentioned points should be observed.
What is the difference between atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter?
Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter are two different types of cardiac arrhythmias that originate in the atrium. In atrial fibrillation, the atrium contracts 300 to 600 times per minute, which is far too often. For comparison: a healthy person has a heart rate of 60-100 beats per minute, so the heart contracts 60 to 100 times per minute.
In atrial fibrillation, the atrium contracts much more often and thus triggers excitation of the heart. Fortunately, however, not all these excitations are transmitted to the ventricle, which would be fatal. In atrial flutter, the atrial frequency is somewhat lower than in atrial fibrillation.
It is about 240 to 340 contractions per minute. Again, not all of these are usually transferred to the ventricle. In contrast to atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter rarely occurs in an otherwise healthy heart.
As with atrial fibrillation, there is also a risk of clots forming which can trigger a stroke. Atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation can be distinguished on the basis of the ECG. In contrast to atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, which occurs repeatedly, usually has to be terminated by ablation treatment.
