Best Doctors in India for Atrial Fibrillation treatment
- Interventional Cardiologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 53 years experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Mahesh Chandra Garg is an Interventional cardiologist working at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi with experience of over five decades in the field. He has an interest in Cardiovascular Intervention and Imaging.
- Dr. Garg has specialized in Enhanced External Counterpulsation, Chest Pain Therapies, Diabetic Cardiovascular complexities, and Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.
- He achieved excellence in invasive cardiology as a result of his participation in specialized training programs and conferences. Dr. Garg provides valuable care for his patients while also encouraging them to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
- He delivered presentations at numerous conferences and published papers in well-known national and international medical journals.
- Interventional Cardiologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 30 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Vipul Roy is one of the best practicing Cardiologists in India, currently associated with the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi.
- After completing his MD, Dr. Roy travelled to UK where he spent eight years in Liverpool at Regional Adult Cardiothoracic Center.
- In 1994, he came back to India and joined Interventional Cardiology at Escorts Heart Institute in New Delhi as a consultant.
- Pediatric Cardiologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 26 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Ashutosh Marwah is one of the best child heart specialists in India, having experience of over 26 years.
- He was the former Assistant Director of Jaypee Hospital and is now practicing at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi.
- Dr. Ashutosh Marwah has expertise in treating complex cardiac defects, Interventional & perioperative cardiac catheterizations, dilatation stenting, fetal echocardiography, Aortic Aneurysm, and Stent implantation.
- He has Fellowships in Pediatric Cardiology from reputed hospitals like Escorts Heart Institute, Delhi, and Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, improvised his skills.
- Dr. Marwah published multiple research papers and articles in reputed medical journals of India and abroad. He is also a member of the Lions Club of Dar Es Salaam.
- Interventional Cardiologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 36 years experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. K K Saxena is one of the top cardiologists in India, having nearly 36 years of experience in this field.
- He is a senior consultant for interventional cardiology at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi.
- Dr. Saxena diagnoses and treats cardiovascular problems in kids and adults. He is specialized in balloon dilation of the mitral and pulmonary valves, the renal and peripheral arteries, and aortic coarctation.
- Dr. Saxena and his team performed several cardiac catheterizations and pacemaker implantations.
- Prior to joining Apollo hospital, Dr. K K Saxena worked at many national and international hospitals.
- He also completed research in interventional cardiology at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Australia.
- Paediatric Cardiologist, Chennai, India
- Over 10 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Muthukumaran C S is one of the finest Heart Specialists in India. He has successfully operated on more than 2500 cardiac catheterizations in children, 1000 AD closures, 250 VSD closures, and 700 PDA closures.
- The Medical practitioner has been associated with various reputed hospitals in India. Dr. Muthukumaran C S has been associated with many hospitals over the course of his illustrious and experienced career.
- Interventional Cardiologist, Mumbai, India
- Over 40 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Samuel Mathew is famously known as the Father of Angioplasty in India for being the first to introduce the procedure in the country.
- He is a renowned interventional cardiologist and brought in several innovative techniques of angioplasty with coronary Stenting, Carotid Stenting, Percutaneous Bypass, Rotablator Atherectomy, and other such procedures.
- Dr. Mathew holds over 4 decades of experience in interventional cardiology and has performed more than 10,000 angioplasties till date. He also holds the credit for more than 3000 Intra Coronary Stenting and 800 Rotablation cases.
- Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Vascular Surgeon, New Delhi, India
- Over 42 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Anoop K Ganjoo is one of the best cardiologists & cardiothoracic surgeons in India with a total experience of 42 years.
- Dr. Ganjoo has a rich experience of over two decades in several complicated procedures, like Mitral valve repair and replacement, Peripheral and Coronary angiography & angioplasty, vascular surgery, ICD, diffuse coronary artery disease, Pacemaker, Radiofrequency ablation of arrhythmias, adult Cardiothoracic Surgery, CRT implantation, Balloon valvuloplasty, and PDA device closure.
- Interventional Cardiologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 24 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Arvind Das is an interventional cardiologist with expertise in all kinds of coronary and non-coronary interventions and electrophysiology.
- Dr. Arvind Das received his fellowship training in pacing and electrophysiology from the renowned Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia. He has undergone training at Semelweiss Heart Centre, Budapest for Device Implantation.
- Dr. Arvind Das has years of knowledge and experience in various cardiac procedures and provides the best diagnostic and therapeutic treatment for all types of heart diseases and disorders.
- Interventional Cardiologist, Mumbai, India
- Over 45 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Jamshed Dalal is a well-known Interventional Cardiologist who has over 45+ years of experience and specializes in Adult Interventional Cardiology.
- Dr. Jamshed Dalal is a highly recommended cardiologist for Angiography and performed his first coronary angiography in the year 1978 in UK.
- He specializes in various kinds of coronary and peripheral cardiac procedures and carries immense expertise in Angioplasty, intravascular ultrasound, Pacemaker Implantation, and FFR.
- Interventional Cardiologist, Chennai, India
- Over 22 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Rakesh P Gopal is an Interventional Cardiologist who has done outstanding work in Interventions for Valvular Heart Disease, Mitral, Aortic, Pulmonary Balloon Valvotomy, and Initiation for Trans Aortic Valve replacement.
- He is the editor of the book Cardiovascular Interventional Trials Update, published by Mathew Foundation and Asia Pacific Interventional Cardiology India Educational Trust.
- Dr. Gopal is a firm believer in the No Re-use idea of disposable materials in interventional procedures.
Best Hospitals in India for Atrial Fibrillation treatment
Paras Hospital, Gurugram
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Paras hospital was established in 2006 and is the 250 bedded flagship hospital of Paras Healthcare.
- The is supported by a team of doctors of international and national repute.
- The hospital is NABH accredited and also the first hospital in the region to have a NABL accredited laboratory.
- The hospital provides specialty medical services in around 55 departments including Neurosciences, Joint Replacement, Mother & Child Care, Minimal Invasive Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology, Cosmetic and Plastic surgery.
- The hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies.
S L Raheja Hospital, Mahim, Mumbai
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- SL Raheja hospital is a 140-bed multi-specialty tertiary care hospital that is being managed by Fortis Healthcare Ltd.
- The hospital is a benchmark in healthcare and medical facilities in the neighborhood of Mahim & the western suburbs.
- L.Raheja Hospital, Mahim has one of the most effective ICU and Casualty care services.
- The hospital provides specialty medical services in Cardiology, Oncology, Neurology, Orthopedics, Mother & Child Care, and in Diabetes.
Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Wockhardt Hospitals were established in the year 1973, originally called First Hospitals and Heart Institute.
- Wockhardt Hospitals are super specialty health care networks in India, nurtured by Wockhardt Ltd, India’s 5th largest Pharmaceutical and Healthcare company.
- Wockhardt Hospitals is associated with Partners Harvard Medical International, an international arm of Harvard Medical School, USA.
- Wockhardt Heart Hospital performed India’s first endoscopic heart surgery.
- The hospital has a state-of-the-art infrastructure equipped with the latest technologies and modern equipment.
- It has special Centers of Excellence dedicated to the major specialties to provide hassle-free and high-quality clinical care.
Pushpawati Singhania Hospital & Research Institute, New Delhi
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Established in 1996, Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute is one of the top hospitals in the NCR region, as well as one of the top facilities in India for gastroenterology. The hospital is one of South Asia’s first institutes in medical and surgical treatment for diseases related to digestion.
- The hospital is equipped with state-of-the art facilities coupled with the latest equipment as well as renowned consultants from various parts of India as well as other parts of the world.
W Pratiksha Hospital, Gurgaon
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- W Pratiksha Hospital, Gurugram, is one of the best hospitals in the NCR region. It is also a top hospital in India for IVF. Since its inception, the hospital has performed over 5500 successful IVFs. The hospital also specializes in gynecology.
- With over 20 years of experience in providing quality healthcare, the hospital is known as one of the most trusted and valued health providers in India.
- Equipped with world-class medical facilities and advanced technology, the hospital’s doctors and clinicians also have a track record of delivering excellent results. The hospital is also known for focusing on preventive well-being as much as on curative treatment.
- The hospital has earned the trust of its patients, by providing the best available treatments at affordable costs.
Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Gurugram
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Situated near DLF Cyber City, Gurugram, Narayana Superspecialty Hospital is one of the top medical facilities in the Delhi NCR region, catering to the needs of the people. Known for its commitment to quality medical care and patient service, the hospital is a state-of-the-art facility with planned and well-equipped sections, which includes a spacious OPD area as well as comfortable patient rooms.
- It is the closest super-specialty hospital from Indira Gandhi International Airport towards Gurugram, and also the nearest super specialty hospital from DLF Cyber City. It is also close to major residential areas in Gurugram.
- It is part of the renowned Narayana Health Group. Established in 2000, by Dr. Devi Shetty, a renowned cardiac surgeon, it has grown to be one fo India’s leading healthcare groups.
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi is known to provide the latest medical procedures with the latest technology in all of its units.
- The hospital has a team of reputed doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals that ensure that patients receive quality care at affordable costs.
- Staffed with a team of highly qualified doctors, dedicated nurses, and paramedical and non-medical staff, the hospital aims to lead in healthcare delivery, medical education, training, and research.
- As per the vision of the founder, the hospital also provides free treatment to the economically weaker sections of society.
- Sir Ganga Ram Hospital also provides training to young doctors under the Diplomate in National Board(DNB) program. The DNB program at the hospital was started in 1984 and it is known for currently running the maximum number of DNB specialties in the country. It also has the distinction of having the first bone bank in India.
KIMS Hospital, Hyderabad
- City: Hyderabad, India
Hospital Highlights:
- KIMS Hospital (a brand name of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences) is one of the largest and best multi-speciality hospitals in Hyderabad. The hospital provides various treatments to an enormous number of patients.
- The hospital has a capacity of more than 3000 beds. KIMS Hospitals offers different healthcare services in more than 25 specialities and super specialities.
- The hospital is equipped with modern medical equipment and technology. It has robotic equipment to provide minimal invasive techniques for patients.
- The hospital is aimed at providing world-class healthcare facilities and services at an affordable cost for patients.
- The various specialities and departments of the hospital include neurosciences, gastroenterology & hepatology, robotic science, reproductive sciences, dental science, oncological sciences, organ transplantation, heart and lung transplantation and mother and child care.
Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Hospital in Shalimar Bagh is a multi-super specialty hospital that strives to provide world-class patient care by leaving no stone unturned.
- Fortis, Shalimar Bagh, with 262 beds and a 7.34-acre footprint, provides the best level of medical care through its team of doctors, nurses, technicians, and management professionals.
Reliance Hospital, Mumbai
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Reliance Hospital is one of the best super-specialty care hospitals in Navi Mumbai.
- The main purpose of this hospital is to become a trustworthy place for the best health and hope for society. The hospital is well connected to the suburbs of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
- The hospital has various specialty departments, viz., Accident & Emergency, Anesthesiology, Dental Services, Dermatology, Diabetology, Dietetics Nutrition, Endocrinology, ENT, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Gynaecology And Obstetrics, Hepato Pancreato Biliary Surgery, Infectious Disease, Internal Medicine, Interventional Radiology, Laboratory Medicine, Minimal Access Laparoscopic Surgery, Nephrology, Neurosciences, Opthalmology, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, Pain Management Palliative Care, Physical Medicine Rehabilitation, Plastic And Reconstructive Surgery, Psychiatry, Pulmonary Medicine, Radiology, Rheumatology, Transplant, Urology Andrology, Vascular Surgery
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
Atrial fibrillation is a problem that occurs with the heart’s electrical activity leading to irregular and rapid heart rate, which can increase one’s risk of strokes, heart failure or other complications.
During this problem, the heart’s two upper chambers beat chaotically as well as irregularly out of coordination with the two lower chambers of the heart. Symptoms of atrial fibrillation usually include heart palpitations, shortness of breath and weakness. One major concern with this ailment is the potential to develop blood clots within the upper chambers of the heart, which can circulate to other organs, leading to blocked blood flow which is termed as ischemia.
Treatments for atrial fibrillation often include medications as well as other interventions to attempt to alter the heart’s electrical system.
Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation
Some people who have from atrial fibrillation show no symptoms and are unaware of their conditions until they discover it during a physical examination. Other people with this ailment can show symptoms such as :
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Reduced ability to exercise
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Pain in the chest
Types of Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation can be of multiple types:
- Occasional- In this case, you can have symptoms from time to time which can last from a minute to an hour. Sometimes the symptoms can show for as long as one week, but it might go away on their own without treatment.
- Persistent- In this case, your heart rhythm doesn’t go back to normal on its own. When your atrial fibrillation becomes persistent, you will require treatment such as shock or medications to help you restore your heart rhythm.
- Long-standing persistent- In this case, the atrial fibrillation becomes continuous and lasts longer than 12 months.
- Permanent- In this type of atrial fibrillation, you can’t restore the abnormal heart rhythm, and you will need to keep taking medications to control your heart rate and to prevent blood clots.
Causes of Atrial Fibrillation
The heart has four chambers- two upper and two lower. Within the upper right chamber of your heart, there is a group of cells termed as the sinus node. This is the natural pacemaker of the heart. The signal that starts each heart back is produced by the sinus node.
This signal normally travels through the two upper heart chambers and then through a connecting pathway which lies between the upper and the lower chambers called the atrioventricular node. The movement of this signal can cause the heart to squeeze which sends blood to your heart and body.
During Atrial fibrillation, the signals in the upper chambers of one’s heart are chaotic; this causes them to quiver. This causes the AV node to be bombarded with impulses trying to get through to the ventricles. The ventricles beat rapidly as well, though not as much as the atria and not all the impulses get through.
Damage or abnormalities in the structure are the most common causes of this condition. Some possible causes that lead to atrial fibrillation are:
- Heart attack
- High blood pressure
- Abnormal heart valves
- Coronary artery disease
- An overactive thyroid gland or other metabolic imbalance
- Heart defends that come with birth
- Too much exposure to stimulants such as medications, caffeine, alcohol and tobacco
- Lung diseases
- Viral infection
- Previous heart surgery
- Stress caused by surgery or illnesses such as pneumonia
- Sleep apnea
However, some people have atrial fibrillation but don’t have any heart defects or damage, a condition called lone atrial fibrillation. In this condition, the cause is often unclear and serious complications are rare. Some factors that might reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation include:
- Age- As you get older, your risk of developing atrial fibrillation increases.
- Heart disease- Anyone with heart diseases such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, a history of heart attack or heart surgery also has an increased risk of atrial fibrillation.
- Drinking- Too much drinking can also trigger atrial fibrillation, for some people.
- High blood pressure- If you have high blood pressure, it puts you at risk, especially if you are not controlling it with lifestyle changes or medication.
- Family history- Some families show an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation.
- Obesity- Obese people are at a higher risk as well.
- Chronic conditions- People who suffer from certain chronic conditions like sleep apnea, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, thyroid problems, chronic kidney or lung disease also have a greater chance of having atrial fibrillation.
Diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation
For diagnosing this condition, your doctor will review your signs and symptoms, review your medical history, after which a physical examination will be conducted. Some of the tests the doctor may order include:
Electrocardiogram
An ECG or electrocardiogram uses small sensors attached to your chest and arms in order to sense and record electrical signals, as they travel through the heart. This is considered a primary tool for the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation.
Event Recorder
Holter Monitor
Echocardiogram
Blood tests
Stress test
Chest X-ray
Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
Initially, your doctor will give you medicines that can help in preventing clots and strokes as well as control the heart rhythm.
Blood thinners are a type of medication that thins your blood to lower your risk of having such problems. However, they can increase your risk of bleeding, which is why you might need to cut back on some activities that lead to injuries. You’ll also need to visit your doctor at least once every month in order to make sure that the medication is working and you are on the right dosage.
Heart rate medicines are another form of treatment that is used to treat atrial fibrillation. These can help in slowing your rapid heart rate so that your heart can pump better. You might also need some other drugs called beta-blockers, such as Atenolol, Metoprolol and Timolol.
Your doctor might also prescribe heart rhythm medicines, which can slow the electrical signals in order to bring your heartbeat into what we call a normal sinus rhythm. Sometimes this kind of treatment is called chemical cardioversion.
If medicines fail to work or they cause side effects, your doctor might recommend one of two procedures which are called cardioversion or ablation. These can treat without surgery.
Electrical cardioversion
The doctor will give your heart a shock to regulate your heartbeat, after which he will use paddles or stick patches called electrodes onto your chest. You’ll be initially given medicine that will make you fall asleep. Then your doctor will be putting the paddles on your chest and sometimes on your back. This can give you a mild electrical shock in order to get your heart’s rhythm back to normal.
Most people need only one shock and since you’re sedated, you probably won’t remember being shocked and you should be able to return home the same day. Sometimes your skin might be irritated where the paddles touched it. Your doctor can recommend a lotion to ease pain or itching.
Cardiac ablation
This includes two major options-
Catheter ablation
Also termed as radiofrequency or pulmonary vein ablation, this is a less invasion option as compared to surgery. Your doctor will put a thin and flexible tube into a blood vessel in your leg or your neck. It will be guided to the heart. When it reaches the area that is causing the arrhythmia, it will be sending out electrical signals which will destroy these cells, and after this, the treated tissue will help your heartbeat get to regular again.
There are also main types of catheter ablation which include:
- Radiofrequency ablation– In this method, the doctor will be using catheters to send radiofrequency energy which will create circular scars around each vein or group of veins.
- Cryoablation- A single catheter sends a balloon-tipped with a substance that will be able to freeze the tissues, causing a scar.
Surgical ablation
This involves involve cutting into your chest and it is of different types:
- Maze procedure- This procedure is usually performed while you are having open-heart surgery for another problem such as a bypass or a valve replacement. The surgeon will then make small cuts in the upper part of the heart, which will be stitched together eventually in order to form the scar tissue which will help to stop abnormal signals.
- Mini Maze- Most people who suffer from atrial fibrillation usually don’t need open-heart surgery and that’s where this less invasion option’s effectiveness can be seen. The doctor will make several small cuts between your ribs, after which he will use a camera to guide catheters for cryoablation or radiofrequency ablation. There are also some hospitals that are known to offer robot-assisted surgery, which uses smaller cuts allowing more precision. Your doctor will next put a video camera or tiny robot into your chest, which will guide the creation of scar tissue, in order to help keep your heartbeat at the right place.
Convergent Procedure
This procedure pairs catheter ablation with a mini maze. The doctor uses radiofrequency ablation in the pulmonary vein, after which a surgeon will make a small cut under your breastbone in order to use radiofrequency energy on the outside of the heart.
AV node ablation
This procedure can be recommended if your medications don’t work or you are unable to take them due to side effects. If you aren’t a good candidate for the other procedures, this one is considered as the last option. In this procedure, your doctor will be inserting a catheter into a vein in your groin and slide it up the AV node, a nerve that conducts electrical impulses between the top as well as bottom chambers of the heart. Your doctor will also send radiofrequency energy through your ventricle and then will implant a pacemaker into your chest. It will deliver electric pulses that will make your heartbeat.
Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation
There are also steps that you can take to prevent atrial fibrillation and there’s nothing more important than living a lifestyle that will help to reduce your risk of heart disease. A healthy lifestyle should include:
- A diet which is healthy for the heart
- Increasing your physical activity
- Not smoking
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Limiting or restricting caffeine and alcohol
- Reducing stress, as intense stress and anger might lead to heart rhythm problems.