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Tachycardia following Ablation
My ablation (2nd) was performed in November and immediately after that I experienced an increase in my resting heart rate from 65-70 BPM to low/mid 90’s BPM.
I’m back in sinus rhythm but this week I had my 90 day follow up that included a EKG. My EP says that tachycardia, which I now have is not unusual after an ablation. So the fix now is to have a cardioversion and if that doesn’t correct it then another ablation will be done. Anyone here have a similar experience? Thanks
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I also have atrial tachycardia up and down all day and night but can’t take a beta blocker my HR can go down to 30’s during sleep.
I read tachycardia occurring up to a year after a heart ablation is typically die to the heart undergoing structural or electrical remodeling, incomplete or healing ablation lines ("gaps"), or changes to the autonomic nervous system a
Examples are digestive issues and feelings of anxiety,
@poojamama These are indeed possible, but they tend to be rare. The heavy majority of ablatees have a period of recovery that lasts weeks, after which a Holter or Zio or something is assigned to them for a short period to assess their heart rhythm. It is true that some patients report elevated HR for months afterwards, but very rare that it is also with arrhythmia...which basically would imply a failed ablation.
Also, flutter (AFL) in the left or right atrium after an otherwise successful ablation is irritatingly common. EPs will routinely invite their patient back for a quick follow-up ablation that is almost always successful...a very high rate of success for all ablations dealing only with AFL.
'Remodeling' takes place during an arrythmia that persists for long periods because it places a strain on the heart. It shouldn't take place, except sometimes modestly IN REVERSE, when the heart is recovering from, and going on in NSR, from a treated arrhythmia. Notably, we're talking mostly about AF which can cause changes to heart valves, enlargement of the vessels, deposition of collagen and fibrosis in the myocardium, etc.