Increase in Afib

I have been using a PM for a little under two years. For the past two years when being tested, the printout showed that I was in afib approximately 20% of the time. However, today when I went in for my 3 month check in, the results showed that since this past July, I have been in afib approximately 88% of the time....a couple of times for days and weeks at a time. Any ideas of why this may happen....sleep apnea, lack of exercise, etc.

Stu

5 Comments

??

by pete - 2009-10-20 01:10:42

All I can suggest is to stop taking any alchohol. Drastically reduce salt intake and reduce your weight if you are overweight. Cheers Peter

pacer report

by golden_snitch - 2009-10-20 01:10:44

Hi Stu!

Do you feel the Afib?

I would not trust the pacer report too much as long as it doesn't record an ECG when an event like Afib happens. Sometimes the counters don't work well. I would have a holter done to get this checked out. If it really is Afib and happens so frequently you would need anti-coagulation and probably also drug treatment to control the rate and reduce the Afib episodes.

Another thought is that too much unnecessary right ventricular pacing can cause Afib, that's what studies have shown. Patients who are paced too "aggressively" in the ventricles are more like to develop Afib or heart failure than those who are paced less.

Best wishes
Inga

Increase in Afib

by Vai - 2009-10-20 01:10:46

Suggestions:
1. Watch out for foods that may trigger Afib. Avoid these diligently. The common groups are alcohol, chocolate, coffee, soft drinks that contains caffiene, very spicy foods, salty foods etc. Smoking is also discouraged. You don't want to burden a heart that is already at stress.

2. With such a persistent Afib, ask your doctors about considering a stronger class of beta blockers. Class III stuff like Amiodorone and Sotalol are some options. Due to their long term side effects and poor tolerance, this may be taken for a short time, primarily to work away the Afib. Then switch to something easier to tolerate and less side effects. Anyway, medication should best be consulted with your Doctor.

My story & experience - Had quite debilitating Afib, estimate was about 25% rate, took Amiodorone for about 8 months, brought the Afib down to 2% rate. Side effects surfaced. Later implanted with PM and switched to Sotalol. Have been on this for 2 years, no side effects, Afib rate down to 1.6%. Majority of episodes lasts about 3 - 10 seconds.

3. You should already be on blood thinners by now. Such persistent Afib could lead to stroke without protection of blood thinners. It could be just aspirin or the more complex coumadin (warfarin).

Best of luck

Re: A-Fib and Pacers

by Bionic Man - 2009-10-20 07:10:06

I have tachy-brady syndrome. Somedays my heart rate was fine. I would have no problems. Then I'd have a bout of a-fib later on my heart rate would drop to the mid 20's to low 30's. The plan was give me a pacer and then treat the a-fib with medication. I'm currently on sotalol. It's been a battle. I still have some bouts of A-Fib but they don't last long and really don't effect me. At my last interrogation I was in a-fib 14% of the time. I haven't felt any episodes of a-fib in over two weeks now. Hopefully this continues.

A-Fib and pacemakers.

by Solarman - 2009-10-20 07:10:49

Question: How do pacemakers help prevent atrial fibrillation

Dr. Hugh Calkins answers the question: 'Pacemakers And Atrial Fibrillation?'
Answer :There was a lot of hope a number of years ago that pacemakers would prove to be an effective treatment for atrial fibrillation. But in fact they're very ineffective, and they do not treat atrial fibrillation.

There's only one situation where pacemakers play an important role in patients with atrial fibrillation, and that is in patients who have both atrial fibrillation and have slow heart rhythms. That's a condition that's referred to as tachy-Brady syndrome.


So there are some patients that will go into atrial fibrillation for a period of time. The atrial fibrillation will stop and then their underlying heart rate is extremely slow. And in those patients, it makes sense to put in a pacemaker for two reasons. One, that it will normalize the heart rhythm. And two, in the setting of this A fib and a slow heart rhythm, putting in a pacemaker may reduce the amount of atrial fibrillation you're having. But more importantly, the presence of a pacemaker will allow your doctor to put you on anti-arrhythmic medications safely.

If you have a tendency for a very slow heart rhythm, if you were placed on and anti-arrhythmic medication, your heart rate may get so slow you could get dizzy or pass out. So pacemakers are really used to allow your doctor to put you on an anti-arrhytmic medication.

But I think it's important to realize that pacemakers are not an effective treatment for atrial fibrillation, but many patients with atrial fibrillation have a pacemaker to allow your doctor to put you on medications.

I hope this information helps.
Solarman.











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It may be the first time we've felt a normal heart rhythm in a long time, so of course it seems too fast and too strong.