| Name | KenB |
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| Location | Chacago, IL USA |
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| Age | 61 |
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| Diagnosed condition | Lone Atrial Fib |
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| Years with condition | since 1997, suspect infrequent undiagnosed several years prior |
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| Frequency of episodes | approx 2 per month |
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| Duration of episodes | 8 to 16 hours usually |
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| Event preceding first AF | none recalled |
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| General health | generally good, not in great shape lately (6', 205 lbs) |
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| Current state | still enduring (waiting on medicine to address AF adequately) |
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| Triggers | caffeine, alcohol, fatigue, vigorous exercise |
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| Preventions | Not sure anything actually prevents it. Even with complete elimination of triggers and uswe of medication still have episodes about twice a month, sometimes more. |
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| Current medications/side effects | 200 mg Sectral (Acebutalol) twice daily. Have taken Sectral since 1998. For an 18 month period I weaned back to one per day, but since discontinuation of Flecainide (see below) have gone back to two per day.
1 81 mg. aspring daily. |
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| Past medications/side effects | Lanoxin (Digoxin) .025 once or twice daily from 1997 to early 2001. Verapamil for about 2 months in 1997 (didn't seem to help).
Did a 6-month trial of Tambacor (flecainide) in 2001. Didn't help, episodes were more frequent, not less, and I felt that I was mildly depressed when taking it. |
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| History of surgery | None for the Afib.
Otherwise, appendectomy in 1958 and gall bladder in 1974. |
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| Future plans | Will see cardiologist again in 6 months. We're sort of waiting to see what new things come out (either drugs or electro techniques). He feels that current electro procedures are not very effective for lone AF.
Have done a lot of Internet reading on AF. I don't think that any current medicines are woth the risks. Although the Sectral seems to reduce the severity and maybe even the frequency of episodes. Also, it has a low degree of risk and few side effects.
I believe that the real solution for most people may turn out to be some form of electro ablation procedure once they design one that is effective for AF. |
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| Personal comments | Symptoms of episodes are fatigue (extreme washed out feeling), sometimes dizziness, sometimes mild angina.
My GP told me about 2 years ago that I have a very mild hiatal hernia which doesn't require any treatment at the present time.
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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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