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VTach vs Afib

Heart Rhythm Conditions | Last Active: 5 days ago | Replies (6)

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@web28

I agree with the other commenters. I’d contact your cardiologist and ask for a referral to an Electrophysiologist as that is the specialist for dealing with batch, aflutter and afib, I believe. My husband had an non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) with complication in 12/20. As they were bringing him out of an induced coma he began vtach, the longest being over 30 minutes(at least 3 but all in CICU so caught and CPR started immediately). Within days an ICD(implantable cardioverter-defibrillator)was implanted and vtach became controlled and all 3 monitored. He was also put on amiodorone for the afib/flutter and we along with his cardiologist received a report every 3 months as to occurrences of the 3, how long each lasted and any adjustments made due to it). He has never had to be shocked but a Walkman(blocks clots traveling to brain)was implanted in his right ventricle in 12/23 due to falls from orthostatic hypotension, etc. He is being treated at the Cleveland Clinic main campus.

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Replies to "I agree with the other commenters. I’d contact your cardiologist and ask for a referral to..."

The device, a 'watchman', is a device implanted in the left atrial appendage, not into the ventricle...as far as I know. It's role is to cause endothelial tissue in this grotto-like knob at the extreme upper left of the left atrium to grow into and around it, thus effectively 'mortaring' off the access of blood to that appendage. The appendage presents the greatest risk of clotting because blood flows poorly inside of it at the best of times. When in an SVT like atrial fibrillation (AF), the blood circulates even more poorly and can even begin to clot. A clot dislodged from the LAA and into the flow can find its way into the heart's own blood supply, into the lungs, or into the brain. Whichever place it gets to first, it's bad news.