| Name | Ed H |
|---|
| Location | Colchester |
|---|
| Age | 55 |
|---|
| Diagnosed condition | paroxysmal atrial fibrillation |
|---|
| Years with condition | 30 |
|---|
| Frequency of episodes | varied - now 1 per yr - at worst 1 per month |
|---|
| Duration of episodes | 4 - 72hrs |
|---|
| Event preceding first AF | sleepless nights - new baby |
|---|
| General health | OK, drink moderate, smoke little (now 1 small cigar per day) |
|---|
| Current state | stable - in control |
|---|
| Triggers | sleep deprivation
alcohol (day after intake)
stress
forgetting medication (flecainide)
viral infections (cold, flu)
sudden shock/fright.
Most common trigger now is sudden awakening (1hr after going to sleep) usually with dead arm (ie sleeping on arm and cutting off blood supply) No dreams at time of awakening) |
|---|
| Preventions | adequate sleep
flecainide
excercise can revert |
|---|
| Current medications/side effects | tambocor - have been taking for 17 yrs
initially - noticeable incresed heartrate
now - none observed |
|---|
| Past medications/side effects | verapamil - for 1 day = awful made situation much worse |
|---|
| History of surgery | surgery for meckels diverticulum in 1986
prior to surgery had been ill with blood loss, anemia, needed blood transfusions, severe constant abdominal pain but had no episodes in this 4 yr period. In fact no episodes between 1976 and 1986, ie had one episode at birth of baby in 1975 and then none until after surgery in 1986.
Shortly after surgery - when feeling weel ad not stressed - had second episode of AF preceeded by rapid heart beat on waking from sleep |
|---|
| Future plans | Keep taking flecainide and enquire re ablation |
|---|
| Personal comments | sibling has same condition but is on sotalol
Reading other entries I see some similarities with other respondents
I particular there seems to be a self limiting element which givesa a period of normal rhythm after an episode. The longer the episode of AF the longer the respite period. On occasions when an episode has been cut short by excercise then it seems to return sooner (based on experience before taking flecainide) |
|---|
| Check list |  acebutolol | amiodarone (cordarone,pacerone) | anisindione (miradon) | | atenolol (tenormin) |  aspirin | azimilide | | bepridil | betaxolol | bisoprolol (monocor,emconcor) | | bretylium | bucindolol | carvedilol | | cibenzoline | dicumarol | digitoxin | | digoxin (lanoxin) | diltiazem (cardizem) | diphenylhydantoin | | disopyramide (norpace) | dofetilide (tikosyn) | dronedarone | | encainide | esmolol (brevibloc) | ersentilide | | flecainide (tambocor) | gallopamil | ibutilide (corvert) | | lidocaine | mibefradil | metoprolol (lopressor,toprol xl) | | mexiletine | moricizine | nadolol | | phenytoin | procainamide | propafanone (rythmol) | | propranolol (inderal) | quinapril (accupril) | quinidine (quinaglute) | | sotalol (betapace) | tedisamil | timolol | | tocainide | trandolapril (mavik) | valsartan (diovan) | | verapamil (calan,isoptin) | warfarin (coumadin) | asthma | | diabetes | GERD/acid reflux | hypertension | | hypotension | hyperthyroidism | hypothyroidism | | adrenergic | vagal | familial | | idiopathic/lone | paroxysmal | permanent/chronic | | atrial flutter | cardiomyopathy | CHF | | PAC | PVC | SVT | | syncope | bradycardia | tachycardia | | heart block | myocardial infarction | rheumatic heart diease | | sick sinus syndrome | stroke | WPW | | electrical cardioversion | defibrillator | pacemaker | | ablation | bypass | maze | | Male | Female | |
|
|---|
