Pacemaker for atrial fibrillation

Common Questions and Answers about Pacemaker for atrial fibrillation


I am a 51 yr. old female and I have had a pacemaker for PSVT with AV node ablation for 10 years now.I have had atrial fibrillation just as long and until recently, a fib. has not been much of a problem. I am on coumadin and Pacerone for chronic a fib. Even though I have the pacemaker, I have symptoms associated with a fib. such as fatigue, weakness, and I can feel the a fib. One attempt of cardioversiion has been attempted without success.
Ablation of the AV node with pacemaker placement is usually reserved for cases where the heart rate cannot be controlled with medication and is only a last resort.
Dear papaley, Yes, it is possible to have atrial fibrillation without noticeable symptoms. However, many people do notice that they feel better and less fatigued when they are back in sinus rhythm after a protracted episode of fibrillation. It is possible to have afib with a normal sized atrium. The reasons to try to maintain sinus rhythm include reduced risk of stroke, decreased symptoms, and decreased risk of cardiomyopathy.
some fatigue, I really don't suffer much, that's why my doctors say no ablation. What does a pacemaker do for AFib? I understand a pacemaker can take control only if all natural signals are "shut down", is that what was done? If yes, how can you still have an attack of AFib? Just trying to learn, sorry I could be of some help.
The long-term effects are (1) the need for a permanent pacemaker (and risk of pacemaker malfunction / infection) and (2) potential negative effects that pacing might have on the heart. Some patients will have a decline in ejection fraction and worsening of valve leakage. Preventing further ventricular dilation and deterioration in EF can be achieved through a range of treatments.
I don't know if this will help or not, but Medtronics has had a new pacemaker released by the FDA in March 2003 that is designef for AF therapy. It is the AT500 model. I had one implanted on July 2001. Here is the webpage that described it in detail. I was diagnosed SVT in 1995 and then nuerocardiogentic disorder in Februsry 2003. I am told that this model of pacemaker will provide therapy by pacing with AF.
i have atrial fibrillation and chf my doc want to put a Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator in me and was wondering if thats a life time thing or can i get mt heart stringer and not need it any more ?
of running - shortness of breath - leg musceles ache with latic acid buildup - chest pounding - have to stop running / stress test on 10/19 - diagnosis - exercise induced atrial fibrillation / no known incidences of AF when not excercising / appt. with cardiologist 10/23 - perscribed an echo cardiogram & 50mg. twice daily of Tambocor (flecanide) / Questions - 1) Will incidence of AF increase as I age? 2) Will AF incidences occur even if I quit exercising?
My husband unfortunately has much worse matters because he has Cardiomyopathy also which could have caused the Atrial Fibrillation or the Atrial Fibrillation could have caused the Cardiomyopathy. All of this is so confusing and it seems like there are no easy answers. I would sure be interested in hearind about others that are going through this and what their successes have been.
Too high (or too low) calcium may cause a variety of arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation may have a lot of causes. Most of them are related to structural changes in the left atrium (dilatation or hypertrophy) which tends to worsen BY having atrial fibrillation, which is why atrial fibrillation starts with brief episodes and ends up as a permanent condition. Hypertension seems to be a major risk factor.
Are there alternatives to coumadin for treating atrial fibrillation in an 89 year old male? This discussion is related to <a href='/posts/show/794153'>Live Health Chat: Atrial Fibrillation, April 13th (Special Guest Dr. Bruce Lindsay, Cleveland Clinic)</a>.
There are treatments for atrial fib but no cures for most of us. Antiarrythmics are available and a few have success with ablations. Depends on the cause of your atrial fib. I have tried both of these options with some decrease in the number of episodes of atrial fib but no cessation . I am going to start a new antiarrthmic called dofetilde (Tikosyn), but like I told my EP doc, I'm searching for a cure. I wish you luck and hang in there!
Will a pacemaker help a 90 year old woman with atrial fibrillation -otherwise physically healthy - with alzheimers. Walks only with help at present time...............
Before I got he pacemaker i was having regular episodes of atrial fibrillation and PVC's. For at least three years oir more after I got my pacemeker, I had no problems with a-fib but some pvc's.. Recenlty I had a pacemaker ckeck and it showed I was having a lot of atrial fibrillation and pvc's and I could feel them. My cardiologist changed my dosage of Sotalol and added magnesiium oxide and he he told me to call him in two days if I still fekt bad.
Will a two-lead Pacemaker have any effect on my activity levels? How will the Pacemaker affect the AFib? I barely notice the AFib when exercising, but a try on a beta blocker kept my heartrate so low I couldn't ride my bike. Is there any advantage to getting the Pacemaker now vs waiting?
I have recently received an ICD/pacemaker implant and still have atrial fibrillation not yet treated with a cardioversion procedure. I have always been athletic as a weight lifter and jogger. My question is will continued moderate exercise help or hurt my condition as it exists at this time. I am 69 years old and all considering in very good shape and feel great.
I came out of surgery in normal sinus rhythm and remained that way for about a month, then I went into atrial flutter and then atrial fibrillation. I have been in AFib since that time and take a beta blocker to hold my heart rate down to below 90 for resting HR and I take Warfarin to mitigate the blood clots and strokes. I have never had a discussion involving AV node ablation and a pace maker. What AFib symptoms would cause you to consider a this action?
There is a lot of debate for the 'proper treatment' of atrial fibrillation. Generally, I try at least once or twice to get a patient back in sinus rhythm. If undoable, rate control with anticoagulation is just as good as an option as long as the patient is not symptomatic. If symptoms persist I usually will pursue more aggressive antiarrythmics or ablation therapies.
If it won't drop back to normal for a period of set time then it is the real trouble. Even I got the pacemaker, my heart rate will go over 100 while walking. Dr said it is normal to be like that and that's what they set it to. Well, after exercise (at stress test), when I was resting on the bed, my heart keeps stopping. Around four - seven beats then it stopped once. The pacemaker kicks, beats come back then it stopped again after few beats...... It keeps doing like that.
Just so you know, I had a pulse generator implanted approx 6 weeks ago. Prior to that I had been in continuous atrial fibrillation for over half a year. My heartrate varied continuously from 140 or so down to in the 30s with no pattern, rhyme or reason to it. I felt at best half-alive and many days less than that. Because I also had my AV node ablated the device runs continuously and without it I would just go to sleep.
ramonantoino, thanks for the post. Yes definitely. Atrial fibrillation refers to lack of atrial activity on the ecg or rhythm strip. We see it very frequently.
The day I was released from the hospital, I had an episode of atrial fibrillation. After speaking with the doctor's office, I went to the ER. They recorded a-fib with V-tach (but my EP said the EKG he got from them only showed AF). They gave me cardizem in my IV and a cardizem drip and more cardizem afterwards. I never converted to NSR but they said I could go home after 6 hrs. with a pulse rate of about 130 (and still with very irregular beats).
Consequently, I feel like I'm at the end of experimentation and anything that can be done for Atrial Fibrillation. I've holter-monitored, stress-tested, been photographed by MRIs, Xrays, Flouroscopes ad nauseum. Nothing indicates anything physically wrong with my heart, though in 1975 a family doctor said I had a "floppy mitral valve" but no doctor since has ever even mentioned that.
I work as a physical education teacher and consider myself to be relatively healthy. I had my first episode of atrial fibrillation at the end of May. I had to be cardioverted to restore it to normal. Then about 3 months later at the end of August I had another episode of atrial fibrillation and had to be cardioverted again. It is the middle of November now, and I had to be cardioverted again yesterday for the 3rd time. My symptoms were all different all 3 times.
You should find that when the technician does your annual pacemaker check, he or she will test this by 'switching off' the pacemaker for a few seconds. Good luck with your pacemaker.
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