Latest Findings in Atrial Fibrillation (AF)

This was very interesting and useful to me in particular. I haven’t been able to find anyone who would give me a straight answer about running and if I should be concerned with my HR going over 200. As he says, if you feel ok, “run with it!”

I will also comment on the triggers conversation, my observation is it all boils down to blood glucose levels. I base this on wearing a CGM, anything that triggers a sharp rise in blood glucose will trigger AFib. So, if on an empty stomach, I have a drink, a cookie, a piece of bread, the heart is off and running. High stress also can trigger a rise in you glucose so you can escape from that tiger, or make that plane you are running for and stressing out about missing.
I can have a glass of wine with dinner, no problem, so long as I have eaten half my meal first. I can get away with a little dessert after a healthy meal. But on an empty stomach, guaranteed AFib event.
When they mentioned customers who bought a new espresso machines and had four espressos then started AFibbing, I could not help but wonder if they had a donut or scone along with their espresso.
I was also happy to hear about the reduced risk of stroke in athletes. While I am convinced at this point I should get an ablation, the watchman I was not really thrilled about, and at this point, with his views on it as well, I am going to pass on that.

@tanyawic You sort of have to work with the EP who ablates and maintains your heart going forward, but I would be little hesitant to agree to a Watchman if I were young, had no other obvious/monitored comorbidities, and had no recurrent AF or other ectopy. At the same time, I would not be keen to remain on a DOAC. However, because the gentleman pretty much said aloud that once you have detected AF for any reason, even only acute and refractory, you are now an AF patient for life. So, I would seek my EP and cardiologists' agreement to take a DOAC as a PIP (pill-in-pocket) the same way many paroxysmal AF patients do flecainide or Multaq; when and as needed.

That is an excellent video! It reinforced about everything that I have learned and accepted as pertinent to my dealing with A-fib. I did like the "proof" that caffeine doesn't really matter that much in triggering A-fib episodes but I will continue with half-caf since it works for me. The most helpful thing for those newly diagnosed is to move more directly to an ablation. My cardiologist agreed that this is the best option but also told me that many patients don't want to even consider having something poking around in their heart. For me, I had to ask for an electrophysiologist early on and he recommended the "best" one he knew and trusted. That is the key for treatment, in my opinion. The patient simply must find the best, most qualified EP to do pulse field to have the highest rate of success potential--and the sooner the better! I feel so fortunate to have had a good result and I also value this site for sharing experiences and information. Lifestyle changes do matter! I have done almost all of them, although I was always physically active. I can't change the age, but I can do everything else to live a life that is as A-fib free as possible.

Thank you for sharing the most excellent session. I am a post ablation patient and found it really interesting to know and see more of what happened .

@gloaming My husband had AFIB detected in the hospital when given super high dose cortisones after loss of the left eye and high inflammatory markers . All tests showed no symptoms for any problem. ( 80 years old, 2 weeks diarrhea
from a restaurant , loss of the left eye , conflicting advice from doctors discussing the causes) So, then Eliquis given for life????? THIS CONCEPT OF "FOR LIFE" is a big problem.
Particularly because of the " Cause " . I don't get it at all.
And I wonder the new problems occurring as a result of this "CONSERVATIVE" ? approach ?

@chanemann1 Good reasoning. This is just inexpert me thinking it through as you are wondering: Once we get to a point in life, say past 45/50, and we begin to turn up at doctor's offices or at an ER if we're unlucky enough to need their services, and they discover a new condition, it is likely to have an impact on our health going forward. Some things can be 'repaired', a one 'n done, like broken bones, maybe an aortic valve replacement, whatever, but the underlying state of the body may mean elevated systemic inflammation. It might mean progression, such as is the case with AF. It means increasing risk, often also, or wholly, of thromboembolic events. For people skirting around the drain of metabolic disease (who isn't after 50?), or who have significant atherosclerotic deposition in their major arteries (including coronary arteries), and whose CRP markers are elevated even a bit above 'normal range', they are at a higher risk of stroke. The conscientious GP and cardiologist will try to convince you that being on a DOAC is likely to keep you alive longer.....if that is at all desirable. This is also true for statins; they do a reasonable job, although we need another generation of stats to show us if they're really what they're all cranked up to be.

By conservative they mean cautious, not winging it, not just hoping for the best...and don't let the screen door slap you on your butt on the way out. A conservative approach is meant to do the eponymous thing for us....conserve. Conserve what we still have, to slow progression, to stave off nastier things that may be ahead for most patients who have X, Y, or Z going on inside them. Not being cavalier and trying new stuff just because it's new, sexy, and has flashy promises still unproven. IOW, it's the strongest ethical case for dealing with your condition in a way that 'does no harm'.

@gloaming interesting about the pill in a pocket scenarios. My EP has never suggested using my Flecanide that way. Nor Eliquis. I think we might address that next visit. My goal having the ablation was to eventually be off meds. But wouldn’t be adverse to using as needed.

Pretty informative video. I find it curious that there was no mention of sleep apnea as a contributing factor to Afib.

The trouble is that the most valuable and under rated ideas are to have and actively work towards a "clean" system. By that I mean 1. Very Active Exercise. and 2.Food That is Individually Creating what you need. Blood Thinners are useful for something, I presume.
The trouble is that the "conservative" approach often does mean 'winging it".
No doctor, so far , has talked about the side effects of blood thinners. This forum is the only one where I've seen real honest discussion on that
subject ..The Mayo Clinic is allowing more information to be heard which is very valuable because ,unfortunately, we are all different We react differently, and science is evolving and changing everyday.
Expert???? All expert means is clear , consistent , studious attention. There's no such thing as expert.
Thank You for the discussion.

@chanemann1 The question is ........What does Eliquis do to your system.?Does it create problems ? Yes , for some it does create problems. Those problems should be recognized by "Conservative" members of the medical profession given that they prescribe it "For Life".