I've just realised I'm still confused about what AF actually is. Is there always an increased heart rate? I was taken into A&E with pounding heart and breathlessness, bpm was 160. I really felt that, so knew something was wrong. I was told it could be atrial flutter but subsequently the arrhythmia nurse said PAF. I now have a smartwatch which does ecgs and most of the time I'm in sinus, rbpm 60-80. I had a very short episode of AF again last week (pounding chest, bpm 129) which I managed to catch on my watch but which resolved itself quickly - less than 10 mins.
My question is - do all AF episodes involve increased heart rate? Is it possible to be in AF without the rate noticeably increasing? I often feel tiny 'blips'/brief palpitations, but I've had them for as long as I can remember and was told they were harmless. I'd really like to make the case for starting just PIP instead of permanent beta blockers, but obviously don't want to be missing episodes.
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Dwts20
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Yes, it is possible for AF to occur with the rate not very high, although there are other arrhythmias where the heart rate is pretty normal, e.g. ectopic beats (palpitations), slow rate, flutter with a normal ventricular rate, and others, which are often all mixed in in a wider case of AF.
The key thing with AF is that it is irregularly irregular. The heart "rate" that results depends on the ventricular response and whilst it's often fast, it can be normal. I am someone for whom my ventricular rate in AF was pretty mch normal.
Smartwatches have a limited ability to differentiate the various rhythms and may just say "possible AF - see a doctor"
l have had episodes of both high heart rate and normal heart rate. I notice that with the higher rate l am always more anxious, so could possible contribute. Staying calm does help, but sometimes this is difficult if you are in a stressful situation at the time. For me hospital appointments etc. are a killer.
AF is an irregularly irregular heart beat, that is almost every beat is different rate to the last one and no real pattern. It can be high or low rate and high rate alone does not determine AF.
Have a read of the AF Fact File on the following link heartrhythmalliance.org/afa... and anything else of interest, knowledge is the key to managing the condition in my opinion.
I'd really like to make the case for starting just PIP instead of permanent beta blockers,
Case is already made for PIP rate control medication (beta and calcium channel blockers) in the majority of afib patients.
The problem is many doctors are lagging behind and just prescribe them like candy because they've always been prescribed.
I had afib for close to 40 years and only took rate drugs to bring down my heart rate during an episode. That meant 40 years without the side effects of beta blockers that so many of us get.
In most cases of paroxysmal afib, the only time rate drugs are justified on a daily basis is when they're taken in conjunction with antiarrhythmic drugs. Here they act as nodal blocking agents for safety reasons.
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Feel like a bit of a Fraud
In A&E again low heart rate and blood pressure all over the place .
A bit disheartened and confused
Another bisoprolol query
AFib, exercise and meds
