I had my first episode of atrial fibrillation at the end of August. I had two beer that evening and went to bed. Shortly afterwards felt my heart beat irregularly. I was diagnosed in emergency and given 50 mg metoprolol and aspirin. They checked me into the hospital to monitor me over night and my heart converted back to normal sinus rhythm during transfer from emergency to the hospital room. The doctor prescribed 50 mg metaprolol twice a day as well as aspirin. I later cut this in half. My sitting heart rate was in the low 40s (normally it had been in low 50s) and I felt very listless. Since then I have occasional bouts about one every week or two. When I felt my heart go into AF I took the second half of the metaprolol pill and my heart converts back a few hours later.
They always come on when I lying down, often leaning on my left side when my heart rate drops into the low 40's. I can usually convert back a couple hours after taking the second half of my prescribed dose.I also found I can convert back by going for a reasonably brisk paced walk.I'm scheduled for an echocardiogram, holter monitor and stress test in January. I take 80mg Micardis to control high blood pressure (now 128/68) and 10 mg lipitor to control cholesterol. I am 5'7' 230 lbs, dropping from 235 in past month by taking the dog on 2 -40 minute walks/day. Since my AF episodes all start when my heart rate drops very low, usually when I'm lying down, do you think it would be wise to stop the twice daily dose of Metaprolol and only take the medication when I have episodes. always know when start/stop

In case of patients suffering from atrial fibrillation, the upper part of your heart will quiver faster than your remaining body. In case of such a patient, the upper part of your heart will shake like Jell-O or it starts beating more rapidly when compared with the lower section of your heart. The patient who suffers from atrial fibrillation will get a “flip-flopping around” and a feeling that your heart is going to eject out of your chest. The pulse is irregular and faster. Some patients will describe atrial fibrillation as a motor idling very fast in the chest. The person will complain of lightheadedness, tiredness, shortness of breath, sweating, and chest pain. Some patients will have involuntary urination. In your heart, extra electrical signals are generated causing the top part of your heart to contract. The quivering and fibrillation will occur irregularly lasting 300-600 times a minute.

We can reasonably treat atrial fibrillation. In this process termed as “remodeling”, your heart changes if you have atrial fibrillation that is sufficiently long enough. The abnormal rhythm in your atria will cause electrical changes enlarging the atria. The patient’s heart develops fibrosis, fibrous tissue formation in the heart. The atrial fibrillation episodes will become more frequent and longer. This often leads you to continuous chronic atrial fibrillation. In a research study comprising 5000+ A-Fib patients, 54% of patients who were on rate controlled medication had their condition worsened leading to permanent atrial fibrillation in one year. But, it has been reported that progress of atrial fibrillation never occurs in some patients.

Therefore, life expectancy with atrial fibrillation depends on the severity of the condition. There are cases of patients suffering from chronic A-Fib getting cured completely. It completely depends on the remodeling of the heart. It can be partially or completely reversed. In case patients suffer from occasional atrial fibrillation episodes, the heart problems are not serious. The life expectancy with atrial fibrillation in such case will increase. The person stands a good chance of getting cured from Pulmonary Vein Ablation. But, the patient is advised to prevent delay. If the patient waits for a longer period for treatment, the atrial fibrillation will worsen. If you have atrial fibrillation for six weeks, your atrial fibrillation has not progressed very much. But, if you have been suffering from atrial fibrillation for six years, you need to get reasonable treatment at the earliest.

In people suffering from atrial fibrillation, it has been reported that 1/3 of hospital admissions for cardiac rhythm disturbances and the admission rate for atrial fibrillation has increased in recent years. The life expectancy with atrial fibrillation accounts for 6-24% of all ischemic strokes. In case of patients having atrial fibrillation, 3-11% of them have structurally normal hearts. The incidence of atrial fibrillation will increase with age. The prevalence of individuals over the age of 80 is around 8%. The number of patients with atrial fibrillation generally increases in the next 50 years. It has been reported that its probability increases in the next 50 years.