AF causing Heart Failure

[didymus]

Hi

Fairly new to this... How normal is it for significant heart failure to be caused by AF. My partner had cardioversion about 2 months ago. However on his check up recently the ECG showed that his EF was still down to 20%. We do not know of course whether his AF caused the heart failure or vice versa. Plus he has a lung condition (bronchietasis) which may be contributing - the consultant can't be sure.

He is due to have more tests in August to see if there's any improvement. I suppose I'm just wondering if other people have had this level of heart failure and seen improvement several months after cardioversion?

[Barb1]

It is thought that my AF caused my heart failure. When I was in SR for 13 months my enlarged heart became normal size and EF improved

[didymus in reply to Barb1]

Thanks for your reply. Helps to know it's possible there may be some improvement. If you don't mind me asking, do you know how much heart failure you had (i.e how low was your EF at its worst?)

[Barb1 in reply to didymus]

Sorry I was just told it had improved. But then the AF came back and it deteriorated. Now I am in SR again after 4th ablation so hoping that will help with the heart failure again. I also graduated from Dilated Cardiomyopathy to diastolic heart disease so don't want to return!

[didymus in reply to Barb1]

Fingers crossed for you. Good luck with that - onwards and upwards.

This 20% EF of my partners is kind of worrying as I keep reading stuff that says this is about as bad as the percentage gets... well before I suppose they start thinking about drastic measures. But anyway, hopefully we will see some improvement in a few months. Thanks again.

[Barb1]

Thanks. Sometimes it is hard to keep on being positive!