Life Goes On, The Caregiver

Atrial fibrillation  ( AF  or  A-fib ) is an  abnormal heart rhythm  characterized by  rapid and irregular beating  of the  atria .  Often it starts as brief periods of abnormal  beating  which become longer and possibly constant over time.  Often episodes have no symptoms.  Occasionally there may be heart  palpitations ,  fainting ,  lightheadedness ,  shortness of breath , or  chest pain .  The disease is associated with an increased risk of  heart failure ,  dementia , and  stroke .  It is a type of  supraventricular tachycardia .   ( from Wikipedia ) See AFibAre you at risk?   AFib is linked with a 5x higher risk of stroke. Take a quiz from the American Heart Association Visit heart.org/AFibTools to learn more  about AFib symptoms and stroke risk.  Back to Home

Think F.A.S.T. FACE : Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? ARMS : Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? SPEECH : Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange? TIME : If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately. Think F.A.S.T. FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange? TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately. Think F.A.S.T. FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange? TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately. ...