Atrial fibrillation?

[btwabookandapillow]

What affect does atrial fibrillation have on the kidneys?

thanks inadvance for any help.

[nurz2be]

What affect does atrial fibrillation have on the kidneys?

thanks inadvance for any help.

Atrial fibrillation can increase the risk of blood vessels becoming blocked in the brain (stroke), kidneys and leg arteries. Due to the fact that the atria can no longer contract properly, if at all, blood becomes motionless in various parts of the left atrium. This is termed haemostasis, and may result in thrombus (clot) formation. If thrombi become dislodged and washed to the brain, for example, they can cause stroke.

[Nrs_angie, BSN, RN]

I agree with the previous post, but I would also add that A-Fib is commonly found with underlying heart disease and it is the most common cause of A-Fib, expecially HTN (hypertension)... as you may know, HTN is also very damaging to the kidneys.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rate and rhythm that is erratic and uncoordinated. Complications of atrial fibrillation are

• transient ischemic attack (TIA)
  
• stroke
  
• heart failure
  
• thromboembolism

The most likely effect on the kidneys would be an embolic/infarct event where a blood clot would become lodged in an artery of a kidney causing necrosis and death of the surrounding tissues supplied by that network of blood vessels. The result would be compromised kidney function. If the damage is great enough--renal failure or even death.

[surviveslu]

What are the some of the most common ways for managing afib?

[NP Sam]

Kidneys get 1/4 of cardiac output. Atrial fibrillation decreases cardiac output because not all the blood is able to be pushed to the ventricles, pushing less blood to the body. Cardiac output is also decreased because the atria are quivering instead of contracting.

Afib is my thing... maybe I'll choose cardiac as a specialty.

Just noticed that this was from 2007!

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

Remember from A&P that the atria provide about a 20% "kick" in cardiac output. If the atria are not effectively moving blood anywhere, but the ventricles are doing fine, the CO is decreased by about 20% due to the Afib. Now remember that the kidneys receive 25% of CO... and then remember that the kidneys are a vital component of maintaining blood pressure. Your Afib patient could have near normal BP and poor peripheral circulation all because the kidneys aren't getting quite the blood flow they want. (Renin-Angiotensin ring a bell?)