AFIB vs CHF – Difference and Comparison

What is AFIB?

Atrial fibrillation, known as AFIB, is when the atrial cardiac rhythm is abnormal. People over the age of sixty are more likely to be diagnosed with this severe heart disease than any other. It is a treatable condition that can be cured if the patient takes the right meds and follows the proper procedures.

You may have atrial fibrillation if you have high blood pressure, difficulties with your heart valves, or coronary artery disease. The disease can also be caused by hyperthyroidism, in which excessive thyroxine production from the thyroid gland causes the body’s metabolism to speed up.

The symptoms of atrial fibrillation include difficulty breathing, lightheadedness, exhaustion, and difficulties engaging in activities such as exercise.

It’s still possible to treat atrial fibrillation effectively and even get rid of it entirely in some instances. AV node ablation is one of doctors’ most given or followed therapies. Heat is delivered to the area between the heart’s ventricles and atria via a catheter to kill the not working tissue.

What is CHF?

Congestive heart failure, also known as CHF, is a cardiac condition in which the heart’s ability to pump blood is impaired, causing fluid to build up in the body. If left untreated, it can cause significant harm to the heart and the overall health of the human body.

People with high blood pressure, cardiac valve abnormalities, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathy are more likely to have congestive heart failure than those without these factors. Non-diabetics have a lower chance of getting the disease than those with type 2 diabetes. Constipation, fatigue, and shortness of breath are signs of congestive heart failure, depending on which ventricle is afflicted. If your heart’s left ventricle is impacted, you may feel weak and exhausted, have difficulties breathing, or decrease cardiac output.

One may have weariness, ankle swells, and abdominal pain resulting from congested liver if their right ventricle is inflamed. Patients can be healed by making dietary and lifestyle modifications and taking prescribed medication

Difference Between AFIB and CHF

  1. Heartbeat irregularities are known as atrial fibrillation (AFIB). However, congestive heart failure (CHF) refers to this.
  2. Atrial fibrillation causes many symptoms, regardless of which organs are damaged. On the other hand, Congestive heart failure causes various symptoms depending on which ventricle is damaged.
  3. Atrial fibrillation causes an irregularity in the atrial heartbeat. On the other hand, Congestive heart failure causes fluid to accumulate in the body because of the heart’s inability to pump effectively.
  4. You are at risk if you have a family history of congestive heart failure. On the other hand, a family history of atrial fibrillation precludes a person from developing the condition independently.
  5. To cure atrial fibrillation, AV node ablation is among the options. Conversely, if the severity is more significant, congestive heart failure therapies include a heart transplant, medicine, and lifestyle adjustments.

Comparison Between AFIB and CHF

Parameters of ComparisonAFIBCHF
Full formsHaving an erratic heartbeat is known as atrial fibrillation.A common medical illness affecting the heart, congestive heart failure (CHF).
Meaning/ DefinitionAtrial fibrillation, also known as AFIB, is a condition in which the atria present in the human heart either does not beat at all or beat erratically. AFIB occurs when the atria fail to win or beat irregularly.Congestive heart failure, also known as CHF, is a condition in which the heart’s pumping function is impaired, resulting in the accumulation of fluids in the body and fluids in the body.
Risk factorsPeople in the 60-year-old and older age group and those who suffer from high blood pressure or coronary artery disease are more likely to suffer from this ailment.This issue affects patients who have had a family history of heart failure, diabetes, and coronary artery disease, among others.
What happensThe atria have an uneven beat to their rhythm.The fluids build-up due to the heart’s inefficient pumping activity.
SymptomsShortness of breath, difficulties in doing tasks such as exercising, feeling lightness in the brain, etc.It is common to notice swelling in the ankles, weariness, and difficulty breathing.

References

  1. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa0708789
  2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002914902033738