What doe s the name vagal mean in relation to AF?

[sann]

[rosyG]

Hi Sann

It is AF connected with the parasympathetic nervous system which takes over at night during sleep. I have this type and all the episodes of AF have happened when getting up or going back to bed during the night. It seems to be related to position so best to sleep with as many pillows as is comfortable!! You can have a mixture of this and daytime episodes- I am waiting to see if mine progresses . One important thing is that beta blockers and digoxin can make vagal episodes of AF worse and this is not on all the literature and GPs don't always know.

[Hidden in reply to rosyG]

Hi Rosy

As I have said before , I was diagnosed with AF at the age of 48 , 21 years ago & considered myself pretty much au fait with the condition after every drug treatment known to man . 11 dccv's & 3 ablations.It is only since coming on the forum ( over from the other side ) that i have become aware of the term vagal AF. I have always told medics , when I have been admitted, that my AF starts with a strange quivery feeling in my stomach & quickly works up to my heart & all the bells start ringing! Voila! I am in fast AF.This almost always starts when I am in bed, either just going to sleep, waking up in the middle of the night or early morning wakening.Last Feb I was waking up & my heart started racing to 230/250 bpm which I really could not cope with. It was v frightening.This was virtually every morning for about 2 weeks & when it would not subside I called an ambulance ( husband goes to work v early so by myself) & was blue - lighted to A & E.

I spent 3 days in CCU & my heart duly obliged each morning with the 230/250 bpm & the bells really did start ringing !! I was able to watch the change on the monitor as the ' feeling ' in my stomach raced up to my heart -- quite fascinating.I was in Atrial flutter.

I was put on Amiodarone which of course helped enormously & had an ' urgent ' ablation in April.

I couldn't say that Bisoprolol makes my AF any worse , it doesn't change it but often although not always lowers my rate ( as it's supposed to of course ).Digoxin did nothing for me when I was given an infusionwhilst admitted with fast AF / flutter 2 months ago & subsequently had a DCCV. In the past I have not liked its effect on me & have stopped it of my own accord . so yes, it probably did make things worse . I shall remember that if/when AF/ Fl returns !!

Sandra

[rosyG in reply to Hidden]

Yatsura this is very similar to the change in position/ waking up etc that starts my AF off. I have found ir helps a lot to sleep sitting up!

[BobD Volunteer]

Vagal refers to the vagus nerve which is the main superhighway between brain and both stomach and heart. Since they have a common root what affects one can the other. Thus if your AF is vagal related then you may find that digestive matters can trigger it. Please note that I used the word trigger. To get AF you need rogue electrical pathways within the heart which trigger the muscles of the atria to pulsate out of control or fibrillate. Without that pre-disposition no amount of triggers can cause it and vice versa. People often find that postural changes also trigger vagal AF so lying down for bed or getting up can star events.

EPs talk of AF starting "when vagal tone is low" in other words when you are sleeping or at rest.

You will by now understand that there is no one size fits all description for AF and we all experience it differently. but the only common factor is that pre-dispositioin which can be either genetic (inherited) or acquired, by ware and tear , age or over exercise.

Bob

[Maitha]

Hi

I'm not expert , but what I understood simply that this is a nerve connecting to heart and digestive system which may get irritated and trigger AF episodes in some cases

That is why in some cases heavy meals , stomach problems may trigger AF

Hope the above is right

Regards