is an irregular heart beat AF

[Alicant]

I have an irregular heart beat..with no apparent symptoms..is this the same as AF?What symptoms would I likely to have?Thanks all

[Desanthony]

You need to get this checked out as soon as you can by your GP. You don't always have symptoms and some people carry on for years with "silent" AF because they have no symptoms. However, depending on other factors and whether or not this is AF you may need medication such as anticoagulants for stroke risk associated with AF. If nothing else going to your GP and being checked out will ascertain if your problem is AF or some other heart condition.

All the best.

[Jalia]

AF would be ' irregularly irregular ' ....if you can work that out. You will need to get this checked out with your GP

[Desanthony in reply to Jalia]

Yes exactly being irregularly irregular. That's what I was told.

[Buzby62]

AF is just one type of arrhythmia or irregular heart beat.

Link to AF fact file api.heartrhythmalliance.org...

Link to Know Your Pulse : heartrhythmalliance.org/aa/...

Hope these are helpful, best wishes.

[Alicant]

thanks all for your interest

[Omniscient1]

A lot of us have asymptomatic AF,like me. Get your Dr to arrange an ECG for a proper diagnosis. Nite that even if you feel ok,then there's still a risk of stroke.

[Morges]

Hi Alicant. I have an irregular heartbeat which the ECG diagnosed as a left branch bundle block I was told this was quite common - not to worry about it. 3 years later it has morphed into AF on the next ECG. All this completely without symptoms, B/p and pulse all good. I then consulted a cardiologist who advised that I should have had investigation of the BBB. He has done an echocardiogram and a cardiac MRI scan and now I am prescribed anti coagulation and ace inhibitor. So I feel fortunate that my irregular heartbeat is being monitored/treated because of ithe risk of stroke

[Ppiman in reply to Morges]

In 2019, I was initially told similar about my LBBB but also told that if AF came along with it, it would need more regular monitoring. It has come along, so I am on losartan despite having a normal BP, along with bisoprolol and more recently flecainide.

I do feel mine in strange ways, or put it down to that, at least. Sometimes, I can feel a pounding heart, for example, or at other times oddly fatigued, and if I then run an ECG on my watch, it often shows wide R waves even if the rhythm is NSR.

Steve

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Welcome

Yes.

But you don't necessary need meds or anything done.

And a CHADS score for prevention of Stroke or Thrombosis.

I was diagnosed at Stroke with Rapid and Persistent AF then in the same inhospital stay thyroid cancer.

Like a heart murmur which is inherited, sometimes nothing needs doing. My Soft Systolic Heart Murmur was diagnosed 3 years after Stroke.

I don't have palpitations, flutters or pain in my heart but if I think back I was uncontrollable sweating and having to rest while exerting myself. I thought it was older age. I was 70.

I do need meds for post thyroidectomy, control Heart Rate and BP.

cherio JOY. 75. (NZ)

[Ennasti]

AF is a specific arrhythmia. There are many different arrhythmias and most have some irregularity to them. The only way of determining if it is AF is with an ecg. You can’t tell by feel although if you’ve experienced it often enough you can take a very accurate guess.

Some people have symptoms, others do not. Some people have a fast rate AF and some have a slow rate AF.

[Vonnegut]

You could get a Kardia and take a reading when you feel your heart is behaving strangely and see what it comes up with. It’s quite a useful gadget to have.

[ozziebob in reply to Vonnegut]

Yes, a Kardia 6L is the model I would recommend.

[Vonnegut in reply to ozziebob]

I think you intended your recommendation to the person who asked the the question ( Alicant).

[ozziebob in reply to Vonnegut]

No, I was agreeing with your Reply which first referred to a Kardia, and adding the 6L recommendation. The Poster Alicant receives notifications of all Replies, so will read my contribution regardless of who it's directed to. Sorry, though, if you felt it was misplaced.

[Ppiman]

It could be. It could also be that you have palpitations, which are different and produced by "ectopic beats" called PACs and PVCs.

If they are frequent enough fr your GP to catch them on an ECG at the surgery, then that would be y route. Otherwise, there are inexpensive home devices available which cn test at home when they happen. As I do, many people would use an Apple Watch, as it is so convenient, but there are other watches or devices by Kardia, Wellue and Emay on Amazon, for example. I am trying one called a Contec PM20 at present that works very well, too.

Steve

[RoyMacDonald]

I have been diagnosed with AF but have no symptoms now, I still take my Apixaban though. My heart beat is always regular when I check it. They tried to diagnose it by connecting me to a scanning device but could not find anything wrong. It was me reporting it after seeing results on my Garmin heart monitor that made them say I had AF. Then I had a stroke 18 months later. So I think that the Garmin was right in reporting an AF heart rate.

Not sure what the real answer to your question is but I'd take Apixaban as a precaution if I were you.

All the best.

Roy

[Alicant in reply to RoyMacDonald]

Cheers .I am taking Apixiban…Thanks everyone again

[01maxdog]

the Apple Watch can send an ecg to your doctor , I’ve also got a Kardia but the Apple Watch is amazing . I never knew I had A F until I had a stroke out of the blue , no symptoms , so see your GP asap and get referred . Hopefully you are somewhere that it can be done asap as in parts of the UK there is a waiting list of up to 10 months

[Alicant in reply to 01maxdog]

Waiting 7 months so far …Never seen GP …always assistants or som