The electric signals within the heart can be an interesting topic to discuss, as even with healthy valves and no blockages in the arteries that supply your heart, issues can still arise due to unusual electric signals.
Following recent discussions at UQ Healthy Living on atrial fibrillation, it’s a good time to highlight common echocardiogram findings on the topic.
In atrial fibrillation, unusual signals can cause the upper chambers of the heart to contract irregularly, which makes your heart’s upper and lower chambers unable to work together to effectively pump blood.
It’s important to note that not everyone diagnosed with atrial fibrillation will experience the below symptoms; they primarily affect those with untreated, chronic conditions.
In very broad terms, within a normal heart rhythm, there is a 1:1 conduction from the top to bottom of the heart, meaning each signal generated in the top of the heart is followed by a corresponding signal in the bottom of the heart. In atrial fibrillation, the top of the heart fires a lot of extra signals and only one every-so-often conducts through to the bottom.
This is a less efficient way to pump the blood through the heart. This can cause pooling and part of the heart to become dilated. Seen below is a comparison of a sinus rhythm (normal) to atrial fibrillation. The chambers in-between the red lines are much larger in the atrial fibrillation image.
| Sinus rhythm
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| Atrial fibrillation
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If atrial fibrillation is left uncontrolled (heart rate is too fast for too long) the main muscle in the heart can wear out. Seen below is a normal squeezing heart in comparison to a heart in rapid AF that is not squeezing normally.
| Sinus rhythm
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| Atrial fibrillation
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If you are lucky enough to get your heart back into normal rhythm, your heart may be fatigued and damaged. It may take time get back to normal. Below is an example of a patient that was in AF but now back in normal rhythm. However, their heart isn’t back to squeezing normally. The hope would be over time (sometimes years) it may get back close to normal.
| Sinus rhythm
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| Sinus rhythm (previously found in rapid atrial fibrillation)  |
One thing to be mindful of if you are in atrial fibrillation or if you have damage to your heart, is to prevent blood clots from forming. Below is an example of damage to the heart and a blood clot has formed.
You can access bulk-billed echocardiograms at Cornwall Street Medical Centre in Woolloongabba, with a GP referral.
