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AFibbers Database: Statistics

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These are the statistics for the first 161 entries. For comparison, the statistics for the first 105 entries can be found here. I will try to update this page every 50 entries or so.

Location
US110UK21Canada18Australia6Ireland1
Japan1Norway1New Zealand1South Africa1Switzerland1
Current Age
Maximum76
Average51.76
Minimum18
Age Diagnosed
Maximum74
Average45.44
Minimum14
How Long
Maximum30
Average6.4
Minimum0.1
Diagnosed conditionSome interesting subgroups were
chronic9but number on check list21lone12but number on check list31
paroxysmal43but number on check list69vagal10but number on check list45
flutter8but number on check list65adrenergic0but number on check list16
Although the discrepancies above are probably due to the database not making the question clear,
the labels the doctors give us and the ones we put on ourselves vary somewhat. For example, I have
never been formally diagnosed with vagal AF but remain convinced most of my attacks (95%+)
are vagally mediated.
Frequency of episodesThis list does not total 161 as some people appear to be very random
chronic AF21
every day19
>1 day <7 days28
>7 days <1 month28
>1 month <6 months7
> 6 months < 1 year7
less than 1 episode a year 4
none / cured?5
Duration of episodesAgain this is extremely variable in each individual. Many people specified a range of figures…
Duration minima
<1 minute7
>1 minute <1 hour42
>1 hour <12 hours49
>12 hours <24 hours16
>24 hours <48 hours12
>48 hours28

Duration maxima
<1 minute4
>1 minute <1 hour10
>1 hour <12 hours48
>12 hours <24 hours25
>24 hours <48 hours21
>48 hours28

Preceding Event109 entries did not mention an event that preceded their AF.
Of those that mentioned a preceding event some common findings were
acute stress10alcohol consumption6exercise6
other heart problems5other illness6surgery9
General Health
excellent36good58fair6poor1
athletic10fit18active4unfit3
over weight7under weight1drinker2moderate drinker11
light drinker39non drinker22stopped drinking6recovering alcoholic2
smoker6non smoker58stopped smoking17asthma/respiratory allergies10
arthritis4diabetes3gerd4hiatus hernia2
high cholesterol4hypertension14kidney stones3mitral valve prolapse (MVP)4
Triggers
excercise or exertion34resting after exercise15
fatigue20resting12
falling asleep7sleep14
insomnia or lack of sleep11lying down (often on the left)16
bending16standing too quickly9
stress or anxiety60recovering after stressful event6
adrenaline rush (including over excitement)10working long hours2
sex2alcohol46
smoking2caffeine39
chocolate13MSG15
spicy food6sugar6
after eating7eating11
large meals (often late evening)26cold drinks14
dehydration2empty stomach (or hunger)7
digestive promlems12constipation3
medication2low potassium2
premenstruation2heat or cold5
unknown30
PreventionsAvoiding individual triggers appears to be the best prevention.
18 entries have had some benefit from exercise (anywhere from steady walking to running),
it sometimes stops AF and sometimes delays the onset.
7 entries have had limited success with vagal / valsalva manoeuvres.
4 reported some success with magnesium (2 of which had IV magnesium).
3 entries said belching or coughing sometimes helped and 2 entries said keeping hydrated helped.
2 entries have benefited from cold showers and 1 from a warm bath.
There are single entries for benefits with amalgam removal and magnetic therapy.
Current Medication27 people report taking no medication
6 people are just taking aspirin
5 people are just taking warfarin
acebutolol1amiodarone (cordarone,pacerone)13atenolol (tenormin)18
aspirin45bisoprolol2digitoxin1
digoxin (lanoxin)18diltiazem (cardizem)17disopyramide3
dofetilide (tikosyn)11flecainide (tambocor)22metoprolol (lopressor,toprol xl)19
mexiletine1nadolol1procainamide3
propafanone (rythmol9propranolol1quinapril (accupril)2
sotalol (betapace)15trandolapril (mavik)2valsartan (diovan)1
verapamil (calan,isoptin)10warfarin (coumadin)52

Here is a list of meds not listed in the checklist but with more than one entry

allopurinol2alprazolam2calcium4
carnitine2CoQ107diazepam2
fish oil3flax seed oil2furosemide2
garlic2hawthorne2lansoprazole3
lipitor10lisinopril7lisinopril and hydrochlorothiazide4
lorazepam2magnesium4methimazole2
multi vitamins12pravastatin2premarin3
protegra2pravastatin2potassium4
premarin3ramipril4ranitidine3
salbutamol2temazepam2tenormin2
thyroxine6vioxx3

Past MedicationI've cheated! It's quite obvious that many people enter their current medication and tick medication
they have had in the past in the check list without mentioning it in the 'past medication' field. So
I've subtracted the current medications from the totals in the checklist to get these numbers. They
will be wrong but I believe they will more closely reflect the correct numbers than the past
medication fields.
acebutolol1amiodarone (cordarone,pacerone)31atenol (cordarone,pacerone)20
aspirin48azimilide1bisoprolol (monocor,emconcor)2
cibenzoline1digitoxin3digoxin (lanoxin)50
diltiazem (cardizem)9disopyramide10dofetilide (tikosyn)3
dronedarone1flecainide (tambocor)36ibutilide (corvert)2
lidocaine5metoprolol (lopressor,toprol xl)5procainamide7
propafanone (rythmol)22propranolol (inderal)15quinidine (quinaglute)14
sotalol (betapace)31verapamil (calan,isoptin20warfarin (coumadin)8
Check List
acebutolol2 amiodarone (cordarone,pacerone)44atenolol (tenormin)38
aspirin93azimilide1bisoprolol (monocor,emconcor)4
digitoxin2digitoxin4digoxin (lanoxin)67
diltiazem (cardizem)26disopyramide13dofetilide (tikosyn)14
dronedarone1flecainide (tambocor)58ibutilide (corvert)2
lidocaine5metoprolol (lopressor,toprol xl)24mexiletine1
nadolol1procainamide10propafanone (rythmol)31
propranolol (inderal)16quinapril1quinidine (quinaglute)14
sotalol (betapace)46verapamil (calan,isoptin)30warfarin (coumadin)60
asthma18diabetes7gerd20
hypertension36hypotension6hyperthyroidism4
hypothyroidism12
adrenergic16vagal45familial17
lone/idiopathic31paroxsysmal69permanent/chronic21
flutter65cardiomyopathy2CHF3
PAC26PVC27SVT11
syncope6bradycardia26tachycardia30
heartblock4infarction3rheumatic heart disease4
sick sinus syndrome8stroke4WPW1
cardioversion40defibrillator5pacemaker9
ablation36bypass2maze4
Male123Female38

Statistics for the first 161 entries.

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