| Name | John |
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| Location | Australia |
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| Age | 61 |
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| Diagnosed condition | AF |
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| Years with condition | 1.5 |
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| Frequency of episodes | on and off depending drug protocol |
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| Duration of episodes | 3-4 weeks |
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| Event preceding first AF | work stress, rotating shift work, with possible sleep apnea, lack of exercise. |
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| General health | Good, non smoker & social drinker, BMI =35. |
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| Current state | cured for the time being. ( Amiodarone has a long half-life over 100 day+) |
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| Triggers | (1)If my AF was induced by sleep apnea (low blood oxygen levels)then alcohol was the probable cause, so now nil intake and my sleep breathing rhythm has returned to normal.
(2) I noticed that Coffee affected my heart beat, so nil intake of all caffeine products.
(3) After a strenuous one hour walk, after a few days of no exercise at all. Now a little and often.
(4) Stressful situations and sudden explosive noises. |
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| Preventions | (1) No alcohol.
(2) No stimulants, eg caffeine, drugs in cough medicines (pseudoephedrine etc.)
(3) Regular exercise every day on flat ground building up to about one hour per day every day!
(4) Weight reduction to bring BMI to < 30. (25 if possible)
(5) Healthy diet of lots of fresh fruit and vegs.
(6) Develop a happy attitude, laugh as much as you can each day. See a funny movie, tell jokes (buy joke books and read them out aloud to your spouse and family etc.) It works!
(7) No salt. |
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| Current medications/side effects | Verapamil 240mg per day; occasional rash, tired, lassitude, swollen bloated stomach, anxiety.
Cartia (Aspirin) 100mg per day. nil side effects noted.
Stopped Amiodarone (200mg per day maint dose) 10 weeks ago, but residual still effective due to its long biological half-life up to 105 days. Very unpleasant side effects and glad to be off it.
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| Past medications/side effects | as above +
(1) Warfarin 3.5mg per day gave INR 1.8 - 2.0. caused brusing and copious bleeding from any minor wound.
(2) Amiodarone caused horrific nightmares, a sensitivity to sun light, skin colour changes, a drugged stupor state, a mottle skin tone, rashs under arms, crutch, between toes, on arms and legs. Sometimes headaches that lasted all day, then revert to a throbbing pressure ache, a negative attitude and depression. Excessive anxiety that caused an excessive eating disorder-"comfort eating". You need to pre- warn your spouse of these behaviour changes in you. |
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| History of surgery | 2x DVT in calf muscle 10 & 14 years ago.
Various bowel scans for routine cancer checks, nil.
1x cardioversion - OK. |
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| Future plans | Get fit, lose weight, eat lots of fresh fruit and veg, no food preservatives(sodium nitrate etc)and then when two biological half-lives of the Amiodarone drug have elapsed (210 days), commence a reduction of the verapamil dosage, a progressive step reduction of 50mg at-a-time, over a 12 month period to nil.
Will stay on the Cartia (asprin)100mg per day for life. |
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| Personal comments | Not enough information to people about AF and healthy life style. |
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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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