I'm 70 and have been in afib since last May/June. Before that, as of 2000, I was diagnosed with paroxysmal afib and placed on Atenolol. I have seen a cardiologist and a rhythm specialist who are urging me to decide between two option treatments: continue my warfarin and take amiodarone or have the ablation procedure. I do not have symptoms and have had all the tests that show a "normal" heart plus cardio version and flecainide, which did not help. I am in afib all the time; the only way I discovered this was by checking my heart rate at the gym while cycling: the monitor was showing my heart rate going all over the place instead a being steady as it was before May, 2006.
Question: The doctors in this forum and others suggest basically, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." How viable is this third option, especially given that my 5 older siblings and mother had the same condition and that the brother next in age to me is having open heart surgery this week- blockage and valves. I was told that afib is not life threatening but after a while, wouldn't it affectt the heart?