Age limit on ablation

[LAPHM]

A friend of mine in the USA is having his first ablation for afib at the age of 67. Apparently over there the doctors wont do ablations over 70. Does anyone know if there is an age limit here? Has it ever been mentioned?

[Jalia]

I'm not aware of any age limit here. I'm 78 and had my 4th ablation last year. Probably may depend on general health as well.

[BobD Volunteer]

I had my fourth at 75 . I'm sure I know of people in their eighties if they are appropriate. In Uk I think it more likely a person be refused due to other matters such as obesity or poor life style choices.

[meadfoot]

A man I know had his first ablation before Christmas he is 80 and has had afib over twenty years. He feels amazing he says.

[CDreamer]

My husband was considered for ablation at 85 - because of other factors it wasn’t thought best course of treatment but age was not one of them.

[Rainfern]

I watched an online conference run by the US organisation "StopAfib.org" where I learned there are big differences between states on who gets an ablation and how quickly - so maybe what you've heard is part right?

[Physalis]

I was 84.

[reinaway in reply to Physalis]

So was I. 😊

[Poochmom]

Don’t know about regular ablation but surgical ablation has been done in the us on an 85 year old in Texas.

[LizLancashire]

A friend told me a member of her church had an ablation at 95. It was successful.

[Keano99 in reply to LizLancashire]

I think I’d be happy to bail out at that stage😀

[opal11uk]

I was 71 when I had mine

[fairyfeathers]

I was 71 years old when I had mine.

[MydogBrandy]

hi I had my ablation at 70 that was in Leeds, no mention of age when it was arranged. Best thing I ever had done… 18 years of tachycardia and tablets.. then had the ablation , came off all the tablets and not had another episode. Hope this helps, happy new year x

[Sharonsue]

I live in Ohio and I had an ablation Aug 2nd. I am 73. I am do very well. No afib.

[Scout1947]

I am 75 and currently being considered for an Ablation. My Cardiologist said he would only want to do it as a last resort if he can’t stabilise me with medication and that he wouldn’t even consider it if I was over 80. I thought it was an age thing, but I’m now concerned that there are other reasons for what he said!

[Raffles2602]

I was refused an ablation 6 months ago, just had my 71 birthday. Consultant said that they wouldn't normally do an ablation for someone my age. (Edinburgh) Prior to being diagnosed with AF 18 months previously I was fit and very active. Can no longer ride my powerful motorbike in case I go into AF which puts my HR up to 180/200. AF has completely changed my life as episodes can last for days and leave me exhausted. Unfortunately I don't tolerate all the various medications.

[Alessa69 in reply to Raffles2602]

I wonder if part of that decision could be part of NHS economy in Scotland ? In the past , 70 would not have been an age barrier in U.K. . Sad to say . Are you able to travel to seek an alternative opinion ?

[Gumbie_Cat in reply to Alessa69]

I had an (NHS) ablation at age 68 in Edinburgh just a few weeks ago. There was no mention of my age at all. Not at all sure it has worked at this stage, but I know that repeat procedures can often be needed.

[Alessa69 in reply to Gumbie_Cat]

It was the OP who mentioned being refused ablation on age grounds, not me

[Gumbie_Cat in reply to Alessa69]

Sorry, just responding to the idea that it could be a decision on economy here. Of course I’ve not hit 70 yet.

[Gumbie_Cat in reply to Raffles2602]

Did you see a Cardiology consultant, or an electrophysiologist? If you haven’t seen an EP, then one possibility is to see one privately? It costs just over £200, and at least you could discuss the possibility further, even if your treatment would still be on the NHS.

My age wasn’t mentioned as an obstacle at 68, in the same city.

[Raffles2602 in reply to Gumbie_Cat]

I wonder if it is down to the consultant but also due to resources/cost. I also heard from another person who's husband had his first ablation in Edinburgh a few months ago he is 72 but different consultant. At my appointment I first saw a registrar who after a long consultation, various tests, ECG etc that an ablation would be an option and described the procedure. He then went to speak to the consultant who came and spoke to me about changing meds - again. I asked about the option of ablation and that's when he said he wouldn't normally do it at my age. I suppose I could ask for an appointment with an EP but perhaps the consultant is correct and I shouldn't have it. Maybe I should have asked why but at the time I just accepted that the age limit was the norm.

[LAPHM]

Thank you all for taking the time to give your thoughts/ experiences with this. I have let my friend in the US have the info to help in discussions with his cardiologist.

[Ozette]

I’m in the US and have had two ablations in my 70s. Age 76 and 77. My Electrophysiologist hasn’t ever mentioned an age limit.

[SCCDL]

I am 77 and had mine last August

[55zuzanka61]

I would like to correct this , I am still practicing physician in US and there is no age limit on ablations,yes the procedure may be deemed inappropriate due to other medical issues and overall health and physical condition but age itself is not a default barrier on its own

Jerrychzech

[Tantaanna]

I had three ablations in Minnesota at 71,72,73 and fourth in Texas with Dr Natalie at74

[DesertTrailRunner]

I’m 76 years old and in the USA and had my first ablation on December 5th of 2022.

I got the impression it’s up to the individual electrophysiologist.

A month or two earlier he’d done a cardioversion to get me out of atrial flutter. It worked but after a week or so I went back into atrial fibrillation. I couldn’t tolerate Flecainide and stopped taking it after four days.

so in December he talk to me about an ablation and the risks. He said the biggest risk is that it could make a hole in your heart. He followed that by saying, “but you’re a runner so you should be OK.“

I waited a week after the ablation and went running for 2 miles. Heart was behaving beautifully before and during and after the run. But two days later it went into atrial flutter.

The doctor put me on sotalol 120 mg twice a day. In 36 hours from taking the first dose of sotalol, heart was back in sinus rhythm.

I was not sure if I should be alarmed at how quickly my heart rate was going down under the influence of 120 mg of sotalol twice a day. resting heart rate went down into the 40s and 50s and briefly one day was at 38.

So without consulting the doctor I reduced the dosage to 60 mg 2x a day. And then I used a pill cutter to trim it to what look like 40 mg twice a day.

And then I got chest pains and my wife took me to an emergency department even though I didn’t want to go. She said “you either go with me to the emergency department or I’m calling 911. (to summon a paramedic/ambulance crew)”

So we drove to an emergency department but before we got there the chest pain subsided and even though my wife still wanted to have me examined she agreed to turn around and we went home.

The next day I emailed the Electrophysiologist list about it. His nurse responded to the email and more or less yelled at me and scolded me for not going to the emergency department and allowing tests to be done on my blood so they would have known what was happening.

A couple days later I saw the doctor and he took me off sotalol. He wrote a prescription for Metoprolol tartrate 25 mg to be taken “as needed“ twice a day if needed.

I’m not sure why he took me off solatol but it might have something to do with the fact that he saw an “inverted T wave form“ for which he didn’t know the cause and which is of some concern depending on what causes it.

so heart rate is back in sinus rhythm and I haven’t done any running since the one day which resulted in atrial flutter the next day.

Most medical people )including my doctor ) are not runners or endurance athletes and even if they are they don’t know how to relate that activity to running or how much a person can do after something like an ablation.

so although I miss daily running a lot and I’ve gained 5 to 7 pounds during the time I haven’t been doing it, I am thinking I might just wait a total of three months after the ablation and then start very gradually like maybe a minute of slow running the first day etc. and gradually work up to longer distances.

But the main point of this reply is simply to address that ablations ARE done on older people in the USA depending on the doctor and whether or not the doctor believes the person is healthy enough and in good condition to tolerate the ablation.

[Desanthony]

I was due my first ablation at 76 so no not ever heard of an age limit on ablations.

[GolfGirl51]

I live in California; I am 71 and just had my third ablation. I have not been advised of any age limit. I am also being considered for a hybrid ablation and have not been advised of any age limit.

[VioletG]

What you heard is incorrect. There is no age limit in the US. My mother had a successful ablation at age 91. However, if the patient has other risk factors that make an ablation too risky, any doctor anywhere could decline to perform the procedure.