Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation guidelines
Common Questions and Answers about Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation guidelines
stroke
Primary prevention is a lot less effective than secondary prevention (as judged by the number needed to treat to prevent one stroke per year).Recent guidelines detail the evidence for primary prevention in stroke. Because stroke may indicate underlying atherosclerosis, it is important to determine the patient's risk for other cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease. Conversely, aspirin prevents against first stroke in patients who have suffered a myocardial infarction.
The best treatment would be to correct the A-fib with digoxin or another specific anti-dysrrythmic or a pacemaker, but if this is not possible, prevention of blood clots is essential because, even a tiny one can cause a pulmonary embolism (clot in the lung) or a stroke. In atrial fibrillation the top chambers of the heart just quiver, while the bottom chambers (ventricles) keep beating, but in an irregular manner.
Eliquis which belongs to a class of drugs called Factor Xa inhibitors is a new generation oral anticoagulant / blood thinning drug and is expected to replace warfarin the current gold standard treatment for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation.
The clinical data on Eliquis in atrial fibrillation is most impressive, when compared to Xarelto or Pradaxa.
When the atria of the heart beat improperly (fibrillation) , blood doesn’t flow properly through your heart. This can cause blood to pool in your heart’s chambers, possibly resulting in blood clots.
These blood clots are not necessary deadly, but they can be. They can travel through the body and cause problems.
For example, a blood clot that blocks blood flow to your brain can cause a stroke, damage to brain cells, or permanent damage to your brain.
I'll be interested to hear what others have to say. Several years ago I was at work and just lost vision in my left eye. No pain. It was just like someone flashed a bright light in my eye and the vision went dark gray. It also took about 10 minutes to clear which was gradual, not sudden. I went in, had my eye checked but all was fine. I haven't had it happen since so I never followed up with any other tests.
However, pooled data from randomized trials show that coumadin reduces the risk of stroke from 4.5 percent to 1.4 percent per year in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and no history of stroke or transient ischemic attack.
Atrial fibrillation alone does not usually cause swelling in the hands, feet, and abdomen. The question you need to ask the doctor is does he have heart failure and if he doesn't what is causing the swelling. Without knowing the results of his echo or blood tests, I can't tell you if he has heart failure.
Anxiety can is caused by atrial fibrillation and sometimes people that are anxious at baseline become more anxious with atrial fibrillation.
Recently, I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. I thought my problem was from stress, but the Dr. said it wasn't. She prescribed Bystolic 5 mg. (to slow heart down) and coumadin 5 mg. I take these 2 pills at night, because that was when I usually got these episodes of a "racing heart", which would last 3 hrs. or more.
She said my condition was more like "an aging heart".....which, I am 77 yrs. old and never had a problem before.
I have a long history of occassional palpitations (PACs), which have become more frequent and occur most days in recent months, also with occasional episodes of atrial fibrillation. My EKG is normal. My recent annual echo shows, for the first time, a finding of mild to moderate anteroseptal and mild mid-anterior hypokinesis. EF is 72%, other measures are within normal, except mild LAE (4.1 cm) and mild MR, TR, PR regurgitation.
These blood clots form in the atria and can migrate from the heart to the brain to cause a stroke. There are five major predictors of stroke in patients with AFib.
This is why patients with atrial fibrillation take aspirin or coumadin to prevent clots from forming when they are in atrial fibrillation. So keep in touch with your doctor, stay on your aspirin, and don't worry about heading to the ER every time you go into atrial fibrillation.
Best of luck.
Mayo Clinic provides the following information and is one of a few medical centers in the United States that performs the maze procedure, a highly complex surgical treatment option for atrial fibrillation. Mayo Clinic heart surgeons are highly skilled and have years of experience with this technique.
The maze procedure can cure atrial fibrillation by creating barriers to the electrical pathways, in the form of scar tissue, in the atria (the heart's upper chambers).
Hi, thanks for responding, I'm still working but am 61 now, Just had a second Left Atrial Circumferential Ablation using the Ensite NavX and Visualization Technology. , A couple of days after the procedure my vision went really crazy and then it happened twice again in the next week They checked me for stroke but they think it was an aura from a migrane, I don't agree with them as I hardly ever have headaches and this is just too coincidental.
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org/en/health-topics/atrial-fibrillation/treatment-and-prevention-of-atrial-fibrillation/prevention-strategies-for-atrial-fibrillation-afib-or-af Lifestyle choices can ultimately make a huge difference. Sounds great that you do not smoke or drink. How about caffeine? Limiting that is also recommended. How is your weight and how much physical activity do you get? These are also on the list as key ingredients to prevention.
There is currently no data whatsoever, showing benefit of plavix in stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. The two current standards of care are aspirin and coumadin...with the later being undoubtably more effective in patients that can tolerae it. Alot of people have peripheral neuropathy and do perfectly well without falls. I usually prefer coumadin unless there is a definite risk. Any regimen that would attempt to use plavix, should at least include aspirin sine it is proven.
As far as I can tell, your husband is a healthy 49 year old with occasional short runs of atrial fib - what we call paroxysmal + lone atrial fibrillation. Usually there is very low risk of cardiovascular risk such as a stroke in this population; however, it should not be completely ignored.
I recommend at least an echocardiogram to confrim heart muscle and valve function (if not already done), AND a holter monitor to confirm his "afib burden", ie.
i have atrial fibrillation and am on heart pressure and heart pills. i also take prozac. i would like to know whether
hawthorne berry treatment which i am about to start taking for the atrial fibrillation would have any ill affects mixed
with prozac. i have already researched that hawthorne berry tincture has no bad interactions with any heart
medicine treatments. would i still have to take baby aspring each day if I am on the hawthorne berry treatment.
•Your doctor may prescribe a blood thinner if you have had a heart valve replaced or if you have atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeats of the upper chamber), phlebitis (leg vessel blood clots) , congestive heart failure (failure of the heart to mmet the supply demand for oxygenated blood) , or, in some cases, if you are obese.
i have atrial fibrillation and chf my doc want to put a Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator in me and was wondering if thats a life time thing or can i get mt heart stringer and not need it any more ?
Blood clots can be caused by heart irregularities, such as atrial fibrillation (I have that) and atrial flutter. There are other causes which I can not list.
I'd suggest that she talk with her cardiologist about ongoing use of warfarin just to guard against future clots, clots are very dangerous and are to be avoided if at all possible. I take and tolerate well 5 mg of Warfarin daily.
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