Mitral valve disease and atrial fibrillation are closely linked together. IF you have pre existing structural disease like rheumatic mitral valve disease and then you started having Afib, then the valve should be treated first. On the other hand, you had Afib first and then you discovered mild to moderate leakage of the valve, that may be fixed by fixing Afib first.
Yes, age is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation, Older people have lot more AF than younger people. Having family history may make you more prone for Afib especially when your grandfather had AF early at age 50 and had no reversible causes.
Symptoms are quite variable for different people during A-Fib. Sense of indigestion could be one of them. Checking pulse or getting an EKG during the symptom may be the only way to tell when you have only vague symptoms like indigestion. Palpitations are more common symptom.
Not all atrial fibrillation is genetic. If you have atrial fibrillation in the family members, you are certainly more prone to it. If you had A-Fib when you were younger than 50, it’s more likely to occur in children also and they may be screened when they are young adults of similar age. Monitoring generally involves getting an EKG or carrying an ambulatory heart monitor for period of time. Very few genetic mutations have been identified to carry atrial fibrillation. As such, there are no standard genetic tests for Afib at present time.
Sometimes it can help suppress premature beats that can lead to A-Fib attack. However, its main utility is in preventing the heart rates from going too fast of you in fact go into atrial fibrillation.
Yes. However, you should be on appropriate rate controlling or rhythm controlling medications so that you heart rate will not inappropriately race with minimal exercise. A-fib will not increase with exercise but may raise the heart rate and limit your activity unless treated. Ablation may be an option for young people with active lifestyle who are symptomatic with A-Fib.
Not necessarily. Your doctor can decide whether you should be on Aspirin or Coumadin depending on your risk factors for stroke. There is a new alternative to Coumadin that has just been approved. It’s called Dabigatran. It’s taken twice a day and is currently available as an alternative to Coumadin.
This pattern of AF is not unusual. The decision to start a medication depends on
how well the symptoms are tolerated and how the condition is affecting the patient’s
quality of life. There are some medications for AF that have very low risk of side
effects.
Currently catheter ablation is indicated in patients with AF who are symptomatic and
have failed an anti-arrhythmic medication. As a result patients who have not tried a
medication are not candidates for the ablation procedure.
Dr. Andrea Natale
Dr. Andrea Natale is a board certified electrophysiology expert and practices at executive medical director of the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David's Medical Center in Austin, Texas. Dr. Natale also is the Senior Medical Director at Pacific Atrial Fib and Arrhythmia Center in San Francisco. He visits MetroHealth in Cleveland, and Akron General, Ohio. He has pioneered a new circumferential ultrasound vein-ablation system to correct atrial fibrillation and performed the procedure on the world's first five patients. For further details Please visit :Link
Dr. Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy
Dr. Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy, MD, F.A.C.C, FHRS. is a board certified electrophysiology expert and practices at Mid-America Cardiology and The University of Kansas Hospital Clinics in Kansas City, KS, USA. He has several distinctions in clinical and research career to his credit and serves as an associate editor for Journal of Atrial Fibrillation.For further details Please visit :Link
Dr. Dhanunjay Lakkireddy, MD, F.A.C.C, FHRS, The Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute (KCHRI), KS, USA.
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