![]() Warfarin (Coumadin) is still recommended for people who have moderate to severe mitral stenosis or have an artificial heart valve.Īnticoagulants come as oral or injectable drugs. It can be tricky to keep your blood at the correct thinning level, so your doctor needs to check often that your dosage is accurate.Īnticoagulants known as non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are now recommended over warfarin for most people. If your doctor gives you this drug, they’ll monitor you closely to make sure the dosage is right for you. These drugs work by extending the time it takes for your blood to clot. Platelets are blood cells that help stop bleeding by binding together and forming a clot. These drugs work by interfering with the action of platelets in your bloodstream. If your doctor gives you one of these drugs, they’ll watch you closely for side effects during treatment. They include:īlood thinners raise your risk of bleeding complications. There are two main types of blood thinners - medications that either slow down or interfere with the blood clotting process. If it blocks circulation, that clot can cause a stroke-the disruption of blood flow to brain tissue.Īn estimated 1 in 7 strokes are caused by AFib, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Once that clot leaves the heart it can become lodged in an artery supplying blood to the brain. The irregular beat of the atria allows blood to pool rather than move into the ventricles and out to the lungs or the rest of the body.īlood that pools can easily become a blood clot. ![]() That means it controls both heart rate and heart rhythm.īlood thinners to prevent clots and strokeĪFib can interfere with the normal, healthy flow of blood throughout your heart. Sotalol (Betapace) is both a beta-blocker and a potassium channel blocker. People with permanent AFib should not use this drug. They do so by interfering with conduction that occurs through the potassium channels in the heart cells.ĭronedarone (Multaq) is a new drug that is only used to prevent AFib in people who’ve had it in the past. They slow down electrical conduction in the heart. Like sodium channel blockers, potassium channel blockers also help control heart rhythm. They focus on electrical activity in the sodium channels of the heart cells. Sodium channel blockers help control heart rhythm by reducing how fast your heart muscle conducts electricity. They help prevent recurring AFib episodes. This makes the heart quiver and beat erratically.ĭrugs that are specifically used to treat problems with heart rhythm are called antiarrhythmic drugs. Instead, chaotic electrical signals run throughout the atria. With AFib, the electrical currents no longer follow that pattern. Your heart’s rhythm is controlled by electrical currents that follow a set path throughout the heart. This action helps control your heart rate.ĪFib is an electrical problem. Digoxin also helps slow the speed of electrical activity from the atria to the ventricles. Doctors often prescribe it as a regular part of heart failure treatment. This drug helps strengthen heart contractions. Digitalis glycosidesĪ drug known as digoxin (Digitek, Lanoxin) belongs to a class of medications called digitalis glycosides. They also relax blood vessels, but they aren’t helpful for AFib heart rate issues. Other calcium channel blockers are peripherally acting. diltiazem hydrochloride (Cardizem CD, Dilacor XR).verapamil hydrochloride (Calan SR, Verelan).This means that they help lower your heart rate. Only two calcium channel blockers are centrally acting. Calcium can strengthen the heart’s contractions.Īs a result of these actions, calcium channel blockers help relax the heart muscle and widen the arteries. These drugs help relax the smooth muscle lining of the arteries and can also keep the heart from absorbing calcium. These drugs can also treat high blood pressure, anxiety, migraine, and other issues.Ĭalcium channel blockers can also slow down your heart rate. They do this by blocking the effects of epinephrine, also known as adrenaline.īeta-blockers are often given to people with AFib. Beta-blockersīeta-blockers are a class of medication that can help lower your heart rate. There are a few major types of drugs designed to control your heart rate, including: This will make it easier to manage your heart’s rhythm, too. When treating AFib, your doctor will want to make sure your heart rate is under control. This can increase your risk of heart failure. Over time, an abnormal heart rate can weaken your heart. If your heart rate is too fast or too chaotic, this means that your heart doesn’t work as efficiently as it should.
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