| Name | Carl |
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| Location | FLA |
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| Age | 59 |
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| Diagnosed condition | chronic AF |
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| Years with condition | at least 7, but probably more |
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| Frequency of episodes | every 2 days or so |
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| Duration of episodes | 1-4 hrs. SR obtained by taking Tenormin |
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| General health | never smoked, former Masters swimmer, triathlete, biker |
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| Current state | tired of Coumadin, Amiodarone(Pacerone), which has caused significant loss of pulmonary function, stopping amiodarone as of 11/3/00 |
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| Triggers | Stress, beer (one bottle or less), sometimes wine, but usually not until 24 hours later, sometimes exercise (even
slight) |
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| Current medications/side effects | Amiodarone 400mg/day, lipitor 20mg/day, 50mg tenormin when needed
Tired, easily winded, measurable loss in pulmonary function as of test on 11/1, so I am off Amiodarone as of today,
since it can be baaad for one's lungs. |
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| Past medications/side effects | Tambucor-lost effectiveness, even when dosage was up to 200% of orginal, Lanoxin, may have had part in
increased frequency and intensity. Tenormin daily with that regimen. AF got to where it would last 3+ days,
most of the time at 145bpm or more (up to 260). Cardiologist said "live with it". I ultimately went to electro-
physiologist.
|
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| History of surgery | Within a week after seeing the EP, I had a catheter ablation, which has helped for 18 months, but it could be because
I have been taking the amiodarone. At least I don't stay in AF as long or at as high a heart rate as before the
ablation.
Have now decided to undergo the maze procedure at the Cleveland Clinic because I can only see things getting
worse. The AF cure rate for the maze procedure is nearly 100%, and although it is open heart, it beats a lung
transplant. My EP is scheduling this procedure now and I hope to do it within 2 months.
|
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| Future plans | Maze as above and return to active lifestyle |
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| Personal comments | For in depth coverage of the maze procedure, go to the web site of the Annals of Thoracic Surgeons at:
http://ats.ctsnetjournals.org/cgi/content/full/70/5/1580
I was going to go thru the maze anyway, but after reading this when it was posted this week, I got a tremendous
boost of confidence.
Go to http.//members2.boardhost.com/mazealumni/msg/1.html for the Maze Alumni exchange. There are
increasing posts of those of us who have taken the "leap". Most, if not all have one regret about the maze
procedure: Not having done it earlier!! I hope to be one of them soon. |
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| Check list |  acebutolol |  amiodarone (cordarone,pacerone) | anisindione (miradon) | | atenolol (tenormin) | aspirin | azimilide | | bepridil | betaxolol | bisoprolol (monocor,emconcor) | | bretylium | bucindolol | carvedilol | | cibenzoline | dicumarol | digitoxin | | digoxin (lanoxin) | diltiazem (cardizem) | diphenylhydantoin | | disopyramide (norpace) | dofetilide (tikosyn) | dronedarone | | encainide | esmolol (brevibloc) | ersentilide | | flecainide (tambocor) | gallopamil | ibutilide (corvert) | | lidocaine | mibefradil | metoprolol (lopressor,toprol xl) | | mexiletine | moricizine | nadolol | | phenytoin | procainamide | propafanone (rythmol) | | propranolol (inderal) | quinapril (accupril) | quinidine (quinaglute) | | sotalol (betapace) | tedisamil | timolol | | tocainide | trandolapril (mavik) | valsartan (diovan) | | verapamil (calan,isoptin) | warfarin (coumadin) | asthma | | diabetes | GERD/acid reflux | hypertension | | hypotension | hyperthyroidism | hypothyroidism | | adrenergic | vagal | familial | | idiopathic/lone | paroxysmal | permanent/chronic | | atrial flutter | cardiomyopathy | CHF | | PAC | PVC | SVT | | syncope | bradycardia | tachycardia | | heart block | myocardial infarction | rheumatic heart diease | | sick sinus syndrome | stroke | WPW | | electrical cardioversion | defibrillator | pacemaker | | ablation | bypass | maze | | Male | Female | |
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