I have been diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation what can I expect?

Answer 1

This article will help you out:

What is atrial fibrillation (AF)?

Atrial fibrillation is a disorder found in about 2.2 million Americans. During atrial fibrillation, the heart's two small upper chambers (the atria) quiver instead of beating effectively. Blood isn't pumped completely out of them, so it may pool and clot. If a piece of a blood clot in the atria leaves the heart and becomes lodged in an artery in the brain, a stroke results. About 15 percent of strokes occur in people with atrial fibrillation.

The likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation increases with age. Three to five percent of people over 65 have atrial fibrillation.

How is atrial fibrillation treated?

Several approaches are used to treat and prevent abnormal beating:

* Medications are used to slow down rapid heart rate associated with AF. These treatments may include drugs such as digoxin, beta blockers (atenolol, metoprolol, propranolol), amiodarone, disopyramide, calcium antagonists (verapamil, diltiazam), sotalol, flecainide, procainamide, quinidine, propafenone, etc.
* Electrical cardioversion may be used to restore normal heart rhythm with an electric shock, when medication doesn't improve symptoms.
* Drugs (such as ibutilide) can sometimes restore the heart's normal rhythm. These drugs are given under medical supervision, and are delivered through an IV tube into a vein, usually in the patient's arm.
* Radiofrequency ablation may be effective in some patients when medications don't work. In this procedure, thin and flexible tubes are introduced through a blood vessel and directed to the heart muscle. Then a burst of radiofrequency energy is delivered to destroy tissue that triggers abnormal electrical signals or to block abnormal electrical pathways.
* Surgery can be used to disrupt electrical pathways that generate AF.
* Atrial pacemakers can be implanted under the skin to regulate the heart rhythm.

AHA Recommendation for Stroke Prevention

Treating atrial fibrillation is an important way to help prevent stroke. That's why the American Heart Association recommends aggressive treatment of this heart arrhythmia.

Drugs are also used to help reduce stroke risk in people with AF. Anticoagulant and antiplatelet medications thin the blood and make it less prone to clotting. Warfarin is the anticoagulant now used for this purpose, and aspirin is the antiplatelet drug most often used. Long-term use of warfarin in patients with AF and other stroke risk factors can reduce stroke by 68 percent.

* Physicians differ on the choice of drugs to prevent embolic stroke — stroke caused by a blood clot. It's clear that warfarin is more effective against this type of stroke than aspirin. However, warfarin has more side effects than aspirin. Examples include potential bleeding problems or ulcer.
* Patients at high risk for stroke should probably be treated with warfarin rather than aspirin unless there are clear reasons not to do so.
* Aspirin is the standard treatment for patients at low risk for stroke and under 75 years of age.

Answer 2

Even though you are well controlled at present with low dose Toprol, you have already experienced some breakthroughs. A couple of points, one, if youhaven;t had a complete medical work-up, now is the time to really get a thorough physical, and lab evaluation to rule out any occult disease e.g. thyroid. Second, because of your age I wouldn't wait to see and Electro physiologist(cardiologist) You may be a candidate for an ablation either non-invasive or open. The longer you have dysrhythmias the greater the risk. You lose up to 30% of your effective heart function with atrial fib and you certainly don't want to wait until it is chronic.

Answer 3

Atrial fib is a heart rhythm that some people go their whole lives with and never know they have it if they don't get an EKG. Most of the time, it's not a problem. When you start having symptoms, it becomes an issue. That's when your going to either go to doctor or call 911. When that happens, they're going to give you meds.

The biggest problem with A-Fib is the formation of clots in your atria. But the solution is simple: aspirin. Take it everyday.

Answer 4

if you are asymptomatic -- you may be expected to take a blood thinner called coumadin (Warfarin); you will need to be monitoring a lab value called INR if you are put on coumadin and adequate range of INR would be 2.5-3.5 for you. Anything higher means too much anticoagulation.

if you are symptomatic (usu. means a fast heart rate) -- you may be expected to be shocked (if the beat is over 150 bpm). If not, you may be put on a rate slower known as a beta blocker; or digoxin. You will also be put on coumadin.

Whether you are symptomatic or not, you will most likely be worked up for the cause of atrial fibrillation. Hyperthyroidism can contribute up to 10% of all A fib cases.

Answer 5

If your a. fib is well controlled, you shouldn't notice anything at all.

You will probably need to take a rate control medication like metoprolol or diltiazem. Additionally, since a. fib can create clots in the atria of the heart, you probably will need to take a blood thinner called warfarin.

Depending on the patient, after anticoagulation for about 6 weeks, the heart can sometimes be shocked back into a normal rhythm.

Answer 6

The sites below give great information and treatments, what to expect regarding atrial fibrillation.

Click these links for more information:
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4451
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/atrial-fibrillation/DS00291
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-disease-atrial-fibrillation-basics

Answer 7

Nothing, and forget it.