Heart Beat: Atrial fibrillation and blood pressure
Atrial fibrillation is a fast, irregular beat in the atria, the two upper chambers of the heart. It can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue. It can also lead to stroke. That's because the inefficient contractions of the atria have trouble pushing blood down into the ventricles. This allows blood to linger inside the atria, which sets the stage for the formation of stroke-causing blood clots. Taking warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven, generic) or another blood thinner to prevent clots is a keystone of treating atrial fibrillation.
Although the best regimen for controlling blood pressure in people with atrial fibrillation is still under investigation, medications should probably include a diuretic and an ACE inhibitor or angiotensin-receptor blocker. People with diabetes or kidney disease should aim for a blood pressure under 130/80; the target for everyone else is under 140/90.
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