East Atlanta Cardiology

What is Sodium?

Sodium is an element that naturally occurs in nature and in many of the foods we eat.  It is represented by the initials Na.  The symbol for salt is NaCl, which is a combination of sodium and chloride.  Substitute salts are made with potassium (K) and are in the form of Potassium Chloride (KCl). Your body needs sodium for basic cell function, but the body only needs around 200 mg of sodium a day.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy like substance that your body used to make hormones and build cell walls.  Your body needs it to be healthy.  However, too much cholesterol can results in fatty formations on the walls of your arteries that can limit the blood flow to the heart. This can result in a heart attack or death.

What is Atrial Fibrillation?

Atrial Fibrillation is an abnormal cardiac rhythm that is diagnosed through an EKG.  The hearts upper chambers (the atrium) quiver instead of beating while the bottom chambers (the ventricles) beat erratically and usually very fast.

What is Warfarin?

Warfarin is a blood thinner taken orally that increases the time for a person’s blood to clot (coagulate).  There are several factors that affect the blood’s ability to clot and Warfarin specifically acts on the Vitamin K dependent coagulation factors.  Warfarin should be taken every day at the same time, preferably in the evenings.  Its effect lasts for 2 to 5 days and it may take several weeks to reach therapeutic levels.  This varies from person to person.  Because of its long acting effect, your Warfarin dose may differ day to day.  An example would be take 1 tablet every day except ½ tablets on Mondays and Fridays.  

Warfarin is used as a prophylactic treatment to keep future clots from forming.  It cannot dissolve existing clots.