There is a very strong connection between thyroid disease and atrial fibrillation. You might not have been aware that both of these conditions can have an impact on your heart. A person isn’t really interested in their thyroid until there is something wrong with it. This small gland, which is located in the front of your neck, has a responsibility to make hormones. It might not sound like a huge thing, but hormones are very powerful and control the way your body works. Hence, when your thyroid works too much, the condition is known as hyperthyroidism. This is when you get more hormones than you need and everything speeds up, including your heart.

Moreover, if your thyroid is underactive or removed, you might be required to take thyroid replacement hormone. However, if the dose is too high, it might as well speed everything up. The rapid heartbeat which might occur as a result can trigger atrial fibrillation. So, the top chambers of your heart start to quiver and it can't pump as much blood as normal. This condition isn’t something you want to ignore and not treat as it increases the risk of a stroke.

The Link Between Atrial Fibrillation and Thyroid Disease

In general, an overactive thyroid isn’t one of the most common causes of atrial fibrillation. However, having hyperthyroidism raises the chances of developing atrial fibrillation and this is a common case if you are over 60. Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common heart issues for people with hyperthyroidism.

If a person has hyperthyroidism, they are likely to notice a set of symptoms, including:

• excessive sweating
• hand shakiness
• nervousness and irritability
• faster heart beat
• trouble sleeping
• tiredness and weakness
• losing weight

Nevertheless, as you get older, these symptoms become less clear and many people believe they are depressed.

On the other hand, atrial fibrillation has various symptoms too, such as chest pain, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, feeling confused, shortness of breath, weakness, and excessive sweating.

What to Do If You Have These Symptoms

In case you notice any of these symptoms, it’s crucial to talk to a physician. Share with your doctor the symptoms of either atrial fibrillation or hyperthyroidism and they will help you.

Your doctor will likely do a physical exam and ask some questions regarding your health history and symptoms. Then, some additional tests might be required.

In order to test your thyroid hormone levels, you will need to do blood tests of the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid hormones, called T3 and T4. On the other hand, in order to determine whether or not you have atrial fibrillation, you might need to undergo an electrocardiogram, also called an ECG or EKG, echocardiogram, stress test, and chest X-ray.

The most important thing is to regulate the thyroid hormone levels and get your heart under control. So, in order to regulate your heart rate and reduce the risk of stroke, you will probably need some medicines, such as calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, and digoxin.

To regulate your thyroid hormone levels, you will need anti-thyroid drugs, which will help you within two weeks. Moreover, you might be also required to undergo a treatment called thyroid ablation. This means that you will take a pill of radioactive iodine, which destroys your thyroid. Then, you need to take a daily thyroid replacement hormone or remove the thyroid.