AFibbers Database: Franklin D. Ruona

Name	Franklin D. Ruona
Location	Novato, CA, USA
Age	57
Diagnosed condition	atrial fibrillation
Years with condition	7
Frequency of episodes	3 to 7 per year
Duration of episodes	minutes to 24 hours +
Event preceding first AF	occured while running a 10 mile distance race
General health	good, non-smoker
Current state	I am 2-1/2 months post PVA and think I may be cured.
Triggers	Generally occurs when I was running. Most frequently when I was running on the track at a fast pace.
Current medications/side effects	I am currently off of ALL medications. I am taking an aspirin a day.
Past medications/side effects	I took rythmol and diltazem for about two weeks and felt very fatigued and had a tight chest during that period. I came off of these medications and went back onto just digoxin. After two days of hard running I had an episode of A-Fib and I then took rythmol and digoxin until my PVA on 9/27/02. After the PVA I took rythmol, coumadin and lipator for about three weeks. After 3 weeks I developed an arrythmia and was in arrythmia for 5 days before Dr Natale electrically cardioverted me back into NSR. After that episode I was on diltazem, coumsdin and lipator for another 4 weeks. I was feeling very fatigued and achey and I requested to come off of the diltazem and lipator. Dr Natale agreed to have me come off of those medications. After one additional week Dr Natale agreed to have me come off of coumadin. I have been off of all medication for about 3 weeks now and have had no episodes of arrythmias. On 11/30/02 I ran 9 miles and my heart rate was at 120 BPM at one mile and was still at 120 BPM at nine miles. I am hopeful that my heart rhythm problems and episdes of Atrial Fibrillation are behind me.
History of surgery	I had a pacemker implanted in July of 2000 and had a PVA on 9/27/02.
Future plans	I am starting to resume my regular long distance running training schedule and am hopeful that I have been cured of A-Fib and will be able to resume competitive age group racing in 2003.
Personal comments	My health is excellent. I am a long distance runner and run 50 to 60 miles per week. I have been fortunate in that I have been able to resume my running within a day or two of having an episode of atrial fibrillation. I did not have an episode of A-Fib for 17 months after I had the pacemaker installed in July of 2000, however, I had several episodes since December of 2001. I had my PVA on 9/27/02 and am in hopes that it has cured my heart rhythm problems and that I will be able to return to serious long distance running.
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

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