| Name | Don Pearson |
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| Location | Houston Tx |
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| Age | 56 |
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| Diagnosed condition | Atrial Fibrillation |
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| Years with condition | 10 |
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| Frequency of episodes | 2 per month |
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| Duration of episodes | 10-30 hours |
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| Event preceding first AF | All episodes began during evening hours when relaxing or sleeping |
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| General health | Good. Non-smoker, 2 beers per day |
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| Current state | AT Fib has subsided significantly. |
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| Triggers | Sleeping on left side.
Relaxing at night, sleeping (Noted association with night sweats). Of the 20 or so initiations of AT FIB during the past year, all [except 1] have started between 10pm and when awaking next morning.
Lack of keeping constant sleep cycles.
Note: Fraternal twin brother apparently also has AT FIB frequently, with events lasting several days. |
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| Preventions | I have classic "vagally mediated AF" (neurogenic). Interesingly, I had episodes lasting 12-24 hours, reoccuring about every 2 weeks for 4 or 5 years. Then my electrophysiologist put me on Tricor to reduce my high triglycerides. I haven't had a single occurance of AF since Jan 2006 (still true as of Aug 2008). |
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| Current medications/side effects | Betapace (Solatol)- 120mg BID. No signficant side effects other than reduced heart rate, and difficult to exercise much within a few hours of each dose. Not controlling frequency of AT FIB events. Solatol use also correlated to sinus congestion in evening/nite.
Also currently taking 82 mg aspirin and 145 mg Tricor. |
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| Past medications/side effects | Coumadin -- no side effects other than easy bruising. |
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| History of surgery | Tonsilitis in childhood.
Appendicitis at age 13.
In good health. Mom's side of family all has congestive heart failure (3 sisters). Mom has taken lanoxin for years for irregular beats. Mom had minor heart attacks over past couple of years (age 88). |
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| Future plans | EP doesn't recommend switching medicene from Betapace to something else to reduce frequency of AT FIB events (disopyramide? tikosyn?) at this time. Only alternative he'll consider is amiodarone, and doesn't recommend it right now due to it's more potent side-effects. Things seem very stable since being on Tricor to control tryglycerides. |
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| Personal comments | Given that ALL events have started when relaxing, sleeping (except 1), I know my version of AT FIB is vagal mediated. It DOES affect lifestyle. Current EP doesn't recommend much change - "don't worry about it". My biggest concern, other than a desire to have the frequency reduced, is increased probability of stroke. Then again, I guess we're lucky compared to other heart patients! |
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| 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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