atrial fibrillation:

[Jon10]

Hi All

Im Anxious about atrial fibrillation now... I need to know whether with A fib does your heart beat fast?

My heart rate averages at about 73 bpm but when im anxious or drunk it goes into the 90s?

What Bpm is A fib? I suffer from heart fluttter but had all clear with a holter test which i wore for a week.

Are my heart troubles from heart disease, or just anxiety and a bad diet?

[Topher7]

Jon, I have A--fib. A fluke heart virus knowcked my heart out of rhythm and almost klilled me in 2000. I've completely recovered but still will get A-fib every few years. I think my trigger is decongestants so I stay away from them. Anyways, when your heart goes out of rhythm you will feel a flutter and then your heart starts to miss a beat. The most reliable way to tell is to take your pulse. Your pulse should be a steady rhythm, one beat after another. In A-fib you will have 3 regular type beats and then there will be a pause and then normal again. The pause is the A-fib. A pause can happen with normal flutters when stressed or nervous but should not be continuous. Your heart rate is normal however. I've had panic attacks due to my heart problem and my heart beat is 120 or in there and off the charts but as long as I know there is a steady heartbeat I am fine.

[AJPTRF]

My husband had a fib last yr. He passed out, I brought him in and after being told it was from 2 beers and smoking, we requested an EKG which showed something abnormal.  More tests were ran, showing a fib.  He was in ICU overnight, given blood pressure meds, blood thinner and something else to try to regulate his heartrate. If I remember correctly, his Heart rate was 130s or something when we went in.  He said that he felt his heart flutter once in awhile and had his heart pound, got dizzy when he got up (which was from blood pressure).  His heart went back into rhythm on its own the next day, but if it didn't they were going to have to shock it back into place.  We didn't know he had high blood pressure, so I don't know if this was a major factor or not. I know it didn't help.  He has been on bp meds since and had no problems.  If you wore the holter, I  am betting you are just fine, but for peace of mind, ask your dr for an EKG.  That will show if anything is off.  What you are feeling could definately be from anxiety and/or bad diet.  I think alot of people with anxiety worry about their heart (me being one of them-I had all stress tests,etc and still worry!)  73 bpm is VERY normal (yours is lower than mine!) and when you drink it will increase your hb. No worries there....Good luck to you!