Atrial Fibrillation - Complete AFib Treatment in Southern California
The goal of atrial fibrillation (AFib) treatment is to prevent blood clots and restore the regular rhythm of your heart.
AFib is a heart rhythm disorder that can disrupt your blood circulation and make you feel dizzy or faint. It can also cause blood clots in the chambers of your heart. These clots can travel to your brain and cause a stroke or move into the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism.
Dignity Health Southern California provides specialized and coordinated atrial fibrillation treatment with your comfort level in mind. Use our online Find a Doctor tool to make an appointment to discuss treatment of AFib in Southern California at one of our five convenient locations in Long Beach, Northridge, Downtown LA, Glendale, and San Bernardino.
Treatment of AFib at Dignity Health Southern California
Restoring a normal heart rhythm and preventing blood clots are the basis of AFib treatment. It’s also important to identify the cause of your AFib, if possible. Causes include:
- Birth defect
- Coronary artery disease
- Hypertension
- Heart valve disease
- Prior heart attack or heart surgery
Sometimes, the cause of AFib can’t be identified. Learn more about AFib symptoms.
If you have heart disease (including coronary artery disease or hypertension), your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes and medications to reduce your cholesterol and blood pressure. If you have heart valve disease or a structural heart defect, surgery may be suggested.
Considering Your Atrial Fibrillation Treatment Options
At Dignity Health, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The best treatment option for you will depend on the severity of your symptoms, your overall health, and how successful a treatment is likely to be for you.
Your treatment options may include:
- Blood-thinning medications to help prevent clots
- Heart medications to correct an irregular heartbeat and slow heart contractions
- Catheter ablation to destroy abnormal cells in the heart that are causing an irregular heartbeat
- Cardioversion (electrical or chemical) to reset your heart’s rhythm
- Maze surgery to disrupt your heart’s abnormal electrical signals
Before you agree to a treatment plan, your doctor will explain:
- Why he or she recommends a specific treatment
- What the goal of treatment is
- Side effects of any medications
- How long treatment lasts
Atrial Fibrillation Prevention
The risk of AFib gets higher with age. Most cases of AFib are also due to an underlying heart or heart-related condition. It’s not always possible to prevent AFib on its own.
However, you may be able to help reduce your risk of AFib by taking these steps:
- Treat and control high blood pressure and high cholesterol
- Exercise regularly
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Quit smoking
- Eat a heart-healthy diet
- Limit sodium (salt) intake, especially if you have high blood pressure
Talk to your Dignity Health doctor about ways you can prevent AFib and maintain your heart health.
Caring Dignity Health doctors offer strategies for atrial fibrillation prevention and provide complete irregular heartbeat treatment in Southern California.