Better AFib Management: Preventing Strokes with the Watchman™ Device

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a chronic heart problem that affects millions of Americans. The most common type of arrhythmia, AFib interrupts the regular rhythm of your heart, leading to serious complications, including stroke.

At Florida Heart, Vein, and Vascular Institute, our team helps patients manage their AFib and its complications with state-of-the-art therapies focused on regulating heart rhythm and preventing stroke complications. 

Here, learn about one advanced device we offer — the WatchmanTM — and how it can help reduce your risk of AFib-related strokes.

AFib basics

Your heart has four chambers — two lower chambers called ventricles and two upper chambers called atria. Tiny electrical signals control the activity of each chamber, coordinating their contractions to help the heart pump in a regular rhythm while moving blood in the right direction.

If you have AFib, the upper chambers don’t function the way they’re supposed to. Instead of contracting regularly and pushing blood through your heart, these chambers quiver or flutter, resulting in an arrhythmia that in turn interrupts normal circulation. 

Irregular blood flow makes it easier for clots to form, and that means your risk of stroke also increases. In fact, people with AFib are five times more likely to have a stroke compared with people who don’t have the condition. 

Watchman device for stroke prevention

The Watchman is a tiny, parachute-shaped, implantable device that we place inside your heart. Once implanted, the device helps prevent clots from forming and traveling to your brain, where they can cause a stroke.

Implantation begins with a small incision in your groin. Your surgeon threads a hollow, flexible catheter through the incision, guiding it to your heart with the help of diagnostic imaging.

Once the catheter is in place, the surgeon deploys the Watchman device and carefully positions it in an area of your heart called the left atrial appendage. The device expands slightly for a snug fit.

After the procedure, you spend the night in the hospital and go home the following day in most cases. 

You’ll need to avoid strenuous activity for a week or two, but you’ll be able to resume your regular activities within 24-48 hours. You’ll probably need to take anticoagulant medication for a brief period during the initial stages of healing.

Let us help you manage AFib

Studies show that the Watchman device is very effective in preventing strokes in patients with AFib while also avoiding bleeding risks associated with long-term use of some AFib medications. 

To learn more about the Watchman and other AFib treatment options we offer, request an appointment online or over the phone with our team at Florida Heart, Vein, and Vascular Institute in Zephyrhills, Lakeland, Plant City, or Riverview, Florida, today.