| Name | Harry |
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| Location | London, UK |
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| Age | 59 |
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| Diagnosed condition | Paroxysmal Lone Atrial Fibrillation with Ist degree heartblock and possible TachyBrady Syndrome |
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| Years with condition | Five from diagnosis. |
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| Frequency of episodes | Varies. Five or six times a week on average but some weeks hardly any and then on infrequent occasions it can be more often, including every day for a number of hours. |
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| Duration of episodes | From a few minutes mainly, to two or three hours on occasions. Has been as long as eight hours very infrequently. |
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| Event preceding first AF | None. |
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| General health | Ex-smoker. Drinker. Have small carotid and femoral arterial plaques. Osteoporosis. Osteoarthritis. Frozen Shoulders. Costochondritis. All these have inflammation as a possible root cause. |
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| Current state | Intermittment frequency of AF seems same as in previous years, |
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| Triggers | Large meals. Sleeping. Often just sitting around. Standing up from lying down or kneeling. Alcohol. Sometimes stress, but usually this remits to normal state quickly. At other times it just seems to happen for no identifiable reason. |
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| Preventions | Exercise will often reduce or stop the arrhythmia. |
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| Current medications/side effects | None specifically for AF.
Atorvastatin - to control inflammation and cholesterol. Actonel for bone density. Rolcoltrol for bone density.
Whole load of vitamin and minerals, of which the following are primarily for prevention/amelioration of AF attacks: Fish oil, magenesium, potassium. The following are for blood thinning and anti-platelet coagulation: Grapeseed extract, garlic, alpha lipoic acid and fish oil. |
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| Past medications/side effects | None specific for AF. |
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| History of surgery | None specific to AF. |
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| Future plans | Awaiting evaluation for ablation, either by drugs or electrophysiology. |
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| Personal comments | I have had a history of arrhythmia dating from 1984. I believe that I had paroxysmal AF many years prior to diagnosis in 1999, at least from 1989 when I first experienced postural hypotension. Before this I feel that I had PAC that has moved eventually to AF - had four different hospital investigations for cause of arrhythymias I experieinced, including a week as in patient in 1984 - I believe these were mainly stress related. It was only because of the continued and increasing instance of postural hypotension that I was referred to a neurologist at first in 1999 and it took a good six months before I was referred (under protest by the neurologist!) to a cardiologist who diagnosed the cause as AF. Interestingly the incidence of postural hypotension has reduced in last two years whilst the AF has slightly worsened. Motto is, know your own body, research your condition and don't take no for an answer from these doctors. Also, do check out first what they prescribe - I have often found that my micro research into the condiction and drugs has given me greater and more recent information than my GP and often my consultant has. It provides a far better basis for discussion and choice. |
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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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