Atrial Fibrilation

[nunik]

In September 1998 experienced an HD-S/P MI & 2 cardiac arrests. The first in the intensive care ambulance which was overcome with a strong blow in the chest and the second upon arriving in hospital, overcome by electrical chocks. They administrated PTCE and stent to the LAD.
In February 2000 another PTCA at the entrance of the stent. Since then no problems at all.
Excercising three times a week in a gym under the supervision of a cardiologue and heart experienced nurses. (Out of my own will and not by my cardiologue instruction )

Last wednesday morning, woke up with a very strange feeling of depression. As if my blood pressure dropped suddenly. The blood pressure was normal but the heart beats reached 87 a mnt, against the normal 52 to 56 (I take 12.5 mg. normiten daily)
Whan I checked my pulses manually I discovered a very unusual irregularity in the frequency. Contacted the doctors and was rushed to hospital. There the beats reached 150-170 a minute. After 36 hours, they managed to stabilize them to 80. Was released from hospital with instruction to follow for three weeks before going back to hospital for a special cure to stabilize the heart beating.

24 hrs after being at home, everything came back to normal and the heart beats could compete with as Swiss quartz clock at 56 beats a mnt. Pressure is normal. This is now lasting for more than 24 hours.

MY question is: Is it possible that an atrial fibrilation disappears by itself within 24 hours with no cure at all ?

[CCF-M.D.-RCJ]

Nunik,

Thanks for the (international?) post.

The answer to your question is:
Yes.

The American College of Cardiology has a naming system for atrial fibrillation (afib) that is based on how often a patient gets the atrial fibrillation and by how hard it is to make it go away.  See www.ACC.org for details.

Paroxysmal afib comes and goes.  Once someone has their first episode, they are much more likely to have a second episode than the average person, with at least a 40-50% recurrence in the first year.  Persons with a first-time episode should be screened for reversible causes of atrial fibrillation, such as hyperthyroidism.

Persistent afib is afib that requires cardioversion, chemical or electric, to make it go away.

Chronic afib is afib that is almost always present.  Chronic afib can start out as paroxysmal afib that was never treated, or as persistent afib that was treated and then recurred.

Hope that helps.

[Dr. Erik]

Yes it is possible but not probable. It could be caused from old scar tissue from your earlier MI or from errant foci in the Pulmonary Veins. It is a good sign that your A-Fib converted on its own in such a short time. That means that with medication your A-Fib should be able to be controlled. I am in the same boat as you. My A-Fib lasted only four hours and converted on its own and has been normal for almost two years now just by taking Cardizem and Toprol. Mine may have been caused by Drinking a few glasses of wine. Caffeine can also cause A-Fib. There are many triggers of A-Fib. Research them.

[jbrinter]

A related discussion, afib was started.