Cardiology Q&A by Dr. Kulick Recently, Vice President Cheney has
been in the news because of the development of an irregular
heart rate known as atrial fibrillation (also known as Afib). He
has previously had heart problems with a weakened heart muscle
due to prior heart attacks, prior coronary surgery (including
angioplasty, coronary artery bypass surgery, and coronary artery
stenting), and an implantation of a pacemaker/defibrillator. The
development of atrial fibrillation in this setting is not
uncommon, however, it is common for an individual to develop
atrial fibrillation without the above conditions. Atrial
fibrillation is a condition where the upper heart chambers
(atria) do not contract normally. Instead, they contract rapidly
in a disorganized fashion, leading to an irregular and rapid
heart rhythm. This rhythm is associated with an increased risk
of blood clots forming in the upper heart chambers, which could
result in stroke. This can be prevented with the use of the
blood thinner warfarin (Coumadi