A Fib App

February is heart month, a time to spread awareness about risks for heart disease heart healthy habits.

February is heart month, a time to spread awareness about risks for heart disease heart healthy habits.

Tonight in part one of a series, wcbi's allie martin tells us about atrial fibrillation, or " a fib," how it is detected and treatment options.

As a cardiologist, doctor barry bertolet keeps up with the latest technology for medical professionals and the public.

He is especially excited about a mobile ekg called "kardia" nats it allows anyone to get an accurate reading of their heartbeat and it can detect abnormalities, such as atrial fibrillation, or a fib.

"normally, our heartbeat, is top and bottom of heart together, when you have a fib, top part starts beating erratically, bottom beats irregular with that."

While afib is not life threatening on its own, it is the leading cause of stroke for older adults.

About ten percent of adults sixty five years and older will be diagnosed with afib.

"the strokes we see with atrial fibrillation, they are usually bigger strokes, more likely to cause long term consequences, even putting people in nursing homes, so if we can detect afib early, and treat it we can prevent those subsequent strokes."

Standup bridge once a patient is diagnosed with afib, there are several treatment options.

Blood thinners are usually prescribed first, if that doesn't work, a minimally invasive procedure known as catheter ablation is performed.

"procedure takes an hour and half or two hours, done through groin we put long tubes called catheters, go inside heart, causing fibrillation, one of the common steps is ablation, deliver heat to and carterizing irritable spots to keep heart from doing atrial fibrillation often.

" doctor karthik prasad also works with cardiology associates.

He has treated many afib patients with catheter ablation and says the earlier it's caught, the better the outcome.

"some when they have spent too much time in afib, you can develop heart failure, breathing goes down, in hospital often, some when ave done this procedure we have seen things turn around completely."

Doctors also say leading a healthy lifestyle can reduce risks of high blood pressure and other factors that can contribute to afib.

In tupelo, allie martin, wcbi news tomororw, we meet a woman who had afib, and underwent the catheter ablation procedure.