A-Fib & Long-Term Heart Function

[coasterman]

I'm a 47-y/o male w/ 2-event history of paroxysmal/lone A-Fib. 1st A-Fib onset in 10/2001 while eating dinner (w/ diet coke) and under stress from work. Went to ED and NSR returned after 1 hr admin of oral & IV Cardizem. F/U w/ PCP - normal ECG, echo, & BP. Rx'd daily 81mg ASA & avoid stimulants/caffeine. Stress test past 9/2006 w/ routine P.E. was normal. All cont'd well until last 12/2006. Returned to work from lunch (incl. foods w/ chocolate) & HR began racing into A-Fib. After 4.5 hrs in ED w/ several doses of oral & IV Cardizem, NSR returned. Follow-up w/ PCP - Rx'd 325mg ASA/day, stimulant avoidance & cardiologist consult. Cardiologist Rx'd updated echo, 24-hr holter & optional daily 25mg Atenolol for pre-hypertension (135/80), which I accepted. Test Results: Echo - Normal L Ventricular Function, Mild Mitral Regurgitation (antibiotic Rx'd PRN for dental work), Peak RV Systolic Pressure 8.5 mmHg greater than RA Pressure.  24-hr Holter - Baseline Rhythm: NSR, HR: Ave 59, Max, 98, Min 38, Longest Pause 1.6 sec, Few PVCs, Very Few PACs, Episodic Palpation & Dyspnea w/out Arrhythmia. To date, no further A-Fib episodes. Physical activity seems uneventful. Still get infrequent "skipped beats" &/or palpitations, but seem to occur more often in the evenings or after meals, esp. large ones/dinner. In the evening is also when the next Atenolol dosage is due. Why do I seem to be prone to developing arrhythmias at my age, & now after 5 years no problems?  Is it from electrophysiological changes in the heart as I age, or could there be an anomaly in the physical relationship between my esophagus/stomach and heart as both A-Fib events (& current Sxs) seem to occur while eating/after ingesting food? (I also take Rx-strength Pepcid for acid reflux). Will my susceptibility to & frequency of A-Fib/arrhythmia occurrence increase with age, as well as reliance on Beta-Blocker usage? I'm working to lose weight, as my BMI is 30.

[PikaPika88]

I was told to drink a lot of strong coffee to make my heart looks better (Stress Test Dr told me to do that and the cardio agreed).  Now I got a little of short bouts of PAT.  I don't know is my coffee over-dose or not?  Any one used coffee to treat heart problem?

I'm 49, diabetes, high cholestrol, with pacemaker.  I only on metformin and nexium.  Will take cholestrol med later not now.

[marcb]

I have not had any Tachycardia or irregular heart beeats since early January 07. I quit drinking ground decaf coffee, and switched to Folgers instant decaf crystals. I don't touch anything with caffiene, to include chocolate and Coke which I really love. So far so good.

A little background: I'm a 55 year old male, and two years ago I experienced an episode of PAT, and ended up in the ER with a pulse of 208 and VTACH. They slowed it down with drugs, and after a full workup by my cardiologist, I was told to stay away from caffiene. So I switched to dring 48 oz of decaf coffee in the mornings, and the irregular heart beats continued, but no where near as bad.

This past october I had an episode that lasted for an hour, and ended up in the ER again with a rate of 201. They slowed it down with the usual drugs, and started me on Toprol XL 25mg, once a day. My cardiologist took me off it, as I didn't like the meds, and I cut my decaf down to 24 oz.

Then in December I had a third episode, and ended up in the ER again with a rate of 193. The gave me a prescription for Cardizem CD, which I took for two weeks, and asked my cardiologist to take me off it, which he did.

I am amazed that I have such a low tolerance to caffiene, but the Folgers instant decaf crystals seem to be working. From the research I did, the Folgers is the only one that tests couldn't detect any caffiene in; the label says it's 99.7% caffiene free.

My cardiologist still wants me to consider the ablation, but I'm just going to wait and see how I do without the caffiene.

He was also threatening to put me on BP meds as I was boderline. Don't know what my BMI is but I'm 510/202Lbs now. I've also lost 20+Lbs since last Nov, and my BP has dropped to 122/70, with a 60 pulse, and I feel really good; I still want to get down to 190, So we'll see....

Guess what I'm saying is you need to eliminate the triggers if you want hopefully avoid the tacky and palps. Basically a lifestyle change. Doesn't mean you'll be free of the problems, but it's worth a try, and overall, it's good for your health. Good luck.

Have a great guys!......marc