Avoid Alation by Sufficient Weight Loss

[PurpleMichele]

Has anyone been able to avoid ablation altogether by losing sufficient weight which resulted in complete resolution of atrial fibrillation?

[Beancounter Volunteer]

Hi Purplemichele

I don't know anyone to whom that applies, the challenge is that whilst weight may be a contributory factor to AF, it's seldom the only cause, and once the "rogue paths" are in place for that electrical signal, losing the weight will not change the pathways back again.

However overall losing weight and a healthier lifestyle will almost certainly make your AF easier to deal with and assist in so many other ways.

Be well

Ian

[Polski]

There is some suggestion that the rogue pathways may start in the 'fat' layer around the heart. If this is the case, then losing some of this fat should help to break them up.

My opinion (for what it is worth) is that this may be true when AF starts, but once AF has a hold on the heart itself, it is probably less so. So decreasing this fat layer is probably more effective in the early stages - but no-one really knows!!!!

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

While lifestyle is usually a huge contributor to AF, and losing weight can improve your overall cardiac status, it may be less likely, for the reasons that Ian stated, that AF would vanish with weight loss. Now if someone loses weight and has an ablation, I think they are more likely to have continued success.