hiya haven’t posted for a while but was wondering if anyone could give some advice on afib heart rate while sleeping.
I had an alert this morning on my Fitbit that I had a possible afib attack during the night. My heart rate went down as low as 36 and as high as 146.
Should I be alarmed by this or do I need to contact my consultant/GP ( although my GP don’t know much!
I would appreciate any feedback.
Thank you
Donna
Hi Donna, No need to be alarmed as you know you have afib and it sounds like you have paroxysmal afib (comes & goes). Are you on meds? Are you due an ablation? Could be worth a mention to your GP or your arrhythmia nurse if you have one. It seems you’re not symptomatic, if my heart was doing 146 I would know about it. If your on meds you should be able to ride out these episodes.
Thanks for replying. I usually would know if my heart was doing 142 but must of been in a very deep sleep not to have noticed. I was more concerned of how low my heart rate was. Haven’t had an attack in a while and don’t know how reliable the Fitbit is. I’m on 125 bisoprolol. Haven’t had ablation.
Yes 36 is low and definitely worth a mention to a gp or arrhythmia nurse. During deep sleep I am sure our hearts go very low so I wouldn’t be too concerned. If your AF gets more frequent you can chat to your GP about it who will probably arrange a chat with your cardiologist and perhaps you could try flecanaide alongside a beta blocker to suppress the AF. Something you will need to be checked out before been prescribed. They may also put you on a list for an ablation but then again that’s a decision for you and them, but there are options for you down the line if things become too much. AF won’t kill you it just needs controlling but there is a risk of a stroke, your GP/ Cardio should have arranged for you to take an anticougulant. This depends on your chads score. People here have had AF for years & years you will be just fine 😊
Thank you once again for your advice and reassurance.
Don't know your medical history, but you could ask your doctor for a 7-14 day patch which will capture any events if present. Don't know the diagnostic accuracy of just one historical event on a Fitbit.
Jim
Thank you for replying. I’ve had afib since 2019, was a very bad episode that put me in hospital while on holiday. Haven’t had much since. I’m on 125 bisoprolol. I may ask my doctor if I could possibly have a patch for a week, although I don’t have much faith in my GP.
First and foremost if you are an A/F suffer then Fitbit states it is not for you. I know this because I just bought one and having read the info on notifications and alerts it states this quite plainly, anyway I use mine so as to see what I am in at any given time as I have gone into permanent A/F, reasons unknown. Most of my A/F used to happen at night, just as I was going to bed......... and yes worth reporting back to your cardio team. If your heart rate goes to low they will probably recommend a Pacemaker.
Hi
It was my Fitbit that alerted me last October that I had AFib and I had a similar range to you every night. I had no other symptoms so apart from feeling a bit tired, I wouldn't have known. Fitbit will only pick up such readings when you are still so you get the messages after sleep and not when you are moving about in the day, even if your heart is irregular in the day.
I had my first Cardioversion yesterday, so fingers crossed it will last a while 🤞🙂
Thank you for replying. It doesn’t happen often and that’s the lowest it’s ever been. I think I will mention it to my Doctor. I hope your cardio version is successful.
Good luck, regards, Tom, 😊
Thanks Tom, appreciated
First post I have seen about this and know it can be worrying.Scared me do death.I just wish it showed a graph or something.Quite frightening isn't it?A bit too much detail.I think the times between beats is more of an indicator of AFib than the actual rate.I learnt in 2 years of persistent AFib that HR does vary hugely particularly at night.
How often is it very low or high.
I would also add I find Fitbit unreliable on particularly high or low readings.
I still have my Fitbit set for AFib alert but last one was the night before my ablation 22nd Feb.
But this is just how I felt & my interpretation.
Thank you for your reply. Yea was rather scary when my fit bit alerted me. I was fast asleep so had no idea I was even in afib! It started at 3.30 and stopped at 3.55, so it didn’t last long thankfully. I usually feel every beat. I have heard that fitbits aren’t the most reliable, but it did worry me. It’s never been that low before.
my understanding is that Fitbit has been approved by FDA for af detection at 98% accuracy.
That’s the claim
Aaw thank you for the reply. I’ve heard so many people say it’s not very reliable, but if that’s the case then it’s caught it. I have rand the arrhythmia nurse and waiting a call back. Thanks once again.
from FDA website:
NEWS RELEASE FDA
Roundup: April 12, 2022
For Immediate Release:April 12, 2022
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is providing an at-a-glance summary of news from around the agency:On April 8, the FDA cleared Fitbit’s Irregular Rhythm Notifications softwareintended to be used with certain wrist-worn consumer products to analyze pulse rate data and identify episodes of irregular heart rhythms that may suggest possible atrial fibrillation. Fitbit’s Irregular Rhythm Notifications software is designed to notify the user when an irregular heart rhythm occurs while the user is not moving. It is intended for over-the-counter use. It is not intended to diagnose or treat atrial fibrillation; for use in people under 22 years of age; or for use in individuals previously diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.
Hi
You need an urgent 24-monitor. My avge night rate is 47 whilst sleeping.
A heart monitor from hospital is best. 1 monitor whilst on metoprolol showed 2 pauses x 2 secs during the night.
It is good to have the professionals set you up.
cheri JOY. 74. (NZ)
Thank you for replying. I will contact my doctor. It went as low as 36 then was shooting up to to the 100’s, the highest being 146.
My fitbit records between 31 and 190 during the night.it goes up and down . I was diagnosed last september and still undergoing tests. My fitbit alerted me as i have no symptons apart from getting breathless. I am taking apixabam 5mg twice a day.
Thank you for replying. Wow that’s an even lower reading, what has your cardiologist said about it being so low? It’s a worry when you see your heart rate all over the place. Hope you get sorted soon. Thank you once again.
got a new Fitbit with a heart monitor and realised it was totally useless. Completely wrong heart rate readings checked it against my Kardia and also by manually counting my heart rate. And I was in sinus rhythm bat the time. I told Fitbit but they really did not want to know. I turned off the heart function. 🙄
3% Afib burden and proposed medication
Paroxysmal Afib
Afib medication 
Fitbit readings.? 
