I have atrial fibrilation: I am on Flecanide acetate tablets.?

Question

When I drink booze, get stressed, get tired or drink caffeine my heart goes mental and it really worries me. Is there a cure that does not involve open heart surgery, could i die?

Answer 1

Nicky - I agree with the above answers.

It sounds like you have paroxysmal AF (meaning that it comes and goes). Sometimes the symptoms can be really disabling but rarely cause major problems.

Flecanide is very effective at preventing the paroxysms of AF but of course, very few things are 100% effective. The fact that you are on flecanide tells me that you have a structurally normal heart....that is good news.

The top priority in AF should be to reduce your risk of thrombo-embolism (clots forming in the heart and flying off). This is usually done with aspirin or warfarin depending on your individual risk (age, valve disease, BP, diabetes etc etc). It is worth asking your doctor what your risk is so you can make an informed choice regarding these drugs.

Currently, the best chance of cure for pAF comes from radiofrequency ablation, which as the other responders have indicated, is a day-case procedure with high success rate. It is performed in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory. Like all procedures, it is not without risk, but as I said, it sounds like you have a structurally normal heart so this reduces your risk.

You've obviously identified triggers for your pAF. If you can avoid these and tolerate flecanide then perhaps this is the best option for you. However, if your symptoms are becoming more frequent or disabling then I would strongly recommend discussing RFA with your doctor.

Answer 2

My wife is suffering with Paroxsymal AF and is going through a bad patch at the moment having at least two episode of AF a day each lasting between 2 to 4 hours each. She is on Flecanide and is using 300mg a day, this is keeping her heart rate at about 115 beats per minute during the palpatations but she still feels unwell. Her doctor says that he is unable to prescribe a new drug as they are dangerous and must be prescribed by a consultant. We have been waiting a month for a date to see a consultant but she is not urgent enough for a quick appointment. She has no triggers that sets it off that we can pinpoint, she even has them when she is sleeping!.Please do not worry that you will die but make sure that you are taking your aspirin or warfarin so that you do not get a stroke.
I know this does not answer your question fully, but a little sympathy from someone in the same predicament sometimes helps

Answer 3

Atrial fibrillation is not a deadly arrythmia. It can make you feel very poorly when it is really racing because you lose about 20% of your cardiac output when in this rhythm.

The main risk in afib is stroke. Blood clots can form in the upper chambers of your heart because the atria do not contract fully allowing blood to pool up in the atria, if a clot were to break loose,it could cause a stroke. This is why people with a history of afib are frequently on a blood thinner called Coumadin/Warfarin.

There is a procedure called an ablation that is frequently performed for atrial fibrillation. It is not open heart surgery. It usually requires an overnight stay in the hospital. You would need to be referred to an electrophysiologist to have this done.

Answer 4

If you stay off caffiene and try not to get too stressed there is no reason at all why you should need open heart surgery for atrial fibrilation. It is controlled perfectly well with drugs. Just cut down on booze and cut out caffiene altogether if you can.

Answer 5

Drugs to control the rate and rhythm of your heart. Drinking the caffeine stimulate the heart so you should really back off on it. The alcohol shouldn't effect the heart as much as the coffee.