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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Ablation Only Modality?
Answered by
Cleveland - OH
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Ablation Only Modality?
by acho7, Dec 06, 2005 12:00AM
I am 65 years old and have recently been diagnosed with AFib. It is with me about 50% of the time and I believe I have experienced it in milder forms over the last 5 years. I was told by my cardiologist that I was a candidate for ablation which scares me to death. Are there no medicines I should try first before undergoing something so invasive? What about lifestyle changes, Pritikin, Duke University, etc. where I could lose some weight (I'm about 35 lbs. overweight) and eat better? I am healthy in all other respects, good blood pressure, and the only meds I take are aspirin which I have begun to take as per the doctor.
The AFib is annoying and can keep me up at night. I would also like to know how to turn it off if even for a short time.
The AFib is annoying and can keep me up at night. I would also like to know how to turn it off if even for a short time.
Doctor's Answer
by Cleveland Clinic, Dec 06, 2005 12:00AM
, Dec 06, 2005 12:00AM
acho,
There isnt a perfectly correct answer to your question.
An ablation does carry some risk so my recommendation to pursue it would involve several factors such as:
The amount of symptoms, the failure to control either the rhythm/rate or symptoms with medicine and attempted cardioversion, the presence of any structural disease that would make the ablation unsuccessful.
Whatever you do you should have your procedure performed at an institution or by an operator that performs a large number of ablations. There are variable success rates and complication rated dependant on technique and operator experience.
My advice would be to seek a second opinion before pursuing an ablation or discuss the procedure with your primary cardiologist.
good luck
There isnt a perfectly correct answer to your question.
An ablation does carry some risk so my recommendation to pursue it would involve several factors such as:
The amount of symptoms, the failure to control either the rhythm/rate or symptoms with medicine and attempted cardioversion, the presence of any structural disease that would make the ablation unsuccessful.
Whatever you do you should have your procedure performed at an institution or by an operator that performs a large number of ablations. There are variable success rates and complication rated dependant on technique and operator experience.
My advice would be to seek a second opinion before pursuing an ablation or discuss the procedure with your primary cardiologist.
good luck
I am eager to read what the MD here has to say. Sure, there are plenty of meds out there to try to treat A-fib...some attempt to convert you back to a sinus rhythm and some just attempt to control your heart rate to make it more comfortable. But, if given the option of a lifetime of medicine vs. a procedure to FIX the problem, I know what I would choose.
Good luck in your decision!!
steph
I think this is a reasonable approach.
The ablation itself was done at Mayo by a very experienced staff. I think that the cause of the AFIB must be carefully considered. In my EP's opinion he was positive it was due to the pulmonary veins stretching from having been a long distance runner. He was very sure a pulmonary vein isolation would be successful. His diagnosis was correct.
At age 65 I think you would do well to be properly diagnosed. An ablation is a good option, but as the doctor said only under very experienced practioners. And I think if meds are not working and you are symptomatic I would see it as a reasonable option.
I have had two ablations the last one cryoablation..for SVT neither worked, I am now on Cardizem which worked for a while but is now seemingly losing the 'power'. Has anyone else had the recurring SVT??? And more than 2 ablations.??Regards Dawn