AF / DC Cardioversion

[Lal531]

23 March I was admitted with AF of 146 / 90 which steadied to 97 to 57 BPM on an IV with 200mg amiodarone. I continued the 200mg amiodarone medication orally for 6 weeks. The week before my Cardioversion pre-assessment whilst sleeping, I was woken by my left arm suddenly being air borne. The following week during my assessment my heart was recorded twice as having a normal sinus rhythm. The amiodarone was stopped and my diagnosis is that it was probably triggered by Hypokalaemia and an acute kidney injury (which I have no knowledge of.) I am now continuing with Bisoprolol 10mg od to treat my arrythmia and Rivaroxaban to thin the blood instead of Warfarin.

Has anyone else had or heard of such a bizarre event??

[Beancounter Volunteer]

Hi Lal

Wow had to look up hypokalaemia, it's lack of pottasium in the blood, and that's certainly a strange one that I have never heard of.

It sounds like they have you under control however, the anti-coagulant is great, and the bisoprolol is a beta blocker, not technically a "treatment" for AF, as it slows the heartbeat and lowers the blood pressure, which will assist but not actually treat the AF. It won't put you back into NSR for example.

The Rythym control drug you were on which was amiodarone does treat AF and can put you back into NSR but with the potential hypokaleamia I can understand why they decided to stop that for a while.

Amiodarone is a very powerful drug, and because of that it's often monitored very closely at first it has a whole list of possible side effects and it's probably because of what happened that they took you off.

So what's next, what do they have planned now? or are you back in NSR and sailing along?

Good luck

Ian

[Lal531 in reply to Beancounter]

Hello Ian

Thanks for the response, yeas back in NSR and due to see the Cardiologist in August. Fingers crossed all stays well, although very mindful of the fact that AF does do frequent return performances.

Cheers

Lal

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

Hi, Lal

It's not unusual for an episode of AF to be triggered by hypokalemia. In fact, that is one of my triggers. Since I take HCTZ, a diuretic, for my blood pressure my potassium level is always right on the lowest edge of normal. And in fact, when I went to the hospital with that very first terrifying AF episode years ago, my potassium was really running low. Since then there have been times when I have gone into AF only to realize I'd not had my OJ, or banana, or other potassium rich foods to keep my levels up. There is also a vitamin water called Revive which has lots of potassium and I drink that every afternoon.

As for the experience of waking up with your arm in the air, I would probably chalk that up to the same sort of thing as people who actually move their legs in their sleep while dreaming of running. Don't think it is related to the AF.

Hope you are back in NSR and feeling better. Be well.

[Lal531 in reply to SRMGrandma]

Hi Grandma, thanks for the heads up, its good of you to take the time and let me know. I am going on hols next month and was about to look up what I could use as supplement, So I looked some more up on the internet, there is also Cytomax

Accelerade, Gatorade, Propel Fitness Water & PowerBar Endurance,

The arm thing wasn't just there in the air, it was as if someone or something had propelled it with some force. My joint and muscle still ache now.

Cheers

Granddad

[Hidden]

Hi Lal- I have often been hypokalaemic & this can be a trigger for AF. In fact AF itself can also lower your potassium levels ( & magnesium levels ) so i have been told.

I have also been hospitalised with Acute Kidney Injury after becoming hypotensive & generally feeling v ill. I was treated with IV fluids & a reduction of drugs ( of which I take many ).

I have also been cardioverted with Amiodarone in the dim & distant past & continued on it for about 18 months but that is another story !

Sandra

[Lal531 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Sandra, sounds like you have been through it quite a bit, the Amiodarone is quite a powerful drug with some naughty side effects. I sometimes wonder if the AF could be related to specific issues in areas of the country. I am in the N.E.UK

Cheers for the comments

Anth