Having being diagnosed with AF and a keen outdoor person (mountaineering, rock climbing, surfing, running, mountain biking, kayaking)

[Heapy]

- is it ok to continue with with my outdoor activities.?

[TheStand]

There should be no problem with any outdoor activities that you choose. Having said that... Have you been evaluated for the need to take blood thinners? That would be my only concern. If you are at risk for a clot (the primary concern with AF) then I would ensure I was on them prior to performing any heavy activities. And also if you have been placed on anticoagulants then consider the bleeding risk of each activity.

Tim

[Heapy in reply to TheStand]

Hi Tim, thanks for your response, A couple of years ao I was fitted with a demand pacemaker which since has been updated with medication - 75mg asprin, 2.5 mg beta blockers and satins. I can't seem to get a proper answer from the doctors in respect to sporting activities, so i wondered if anyone else was in the same boat.

Paul

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Heapy]

Paul, unless you have another underlying cardiac condition I must mention that aspirin is of little benefit in stroke prevention form patients with AF, Recent research has proved this so for best protection you should be on one of the other anticoagulants.

[TheStand in reply to BobD]

Paul,

Agree with Bob... Aspirin is of almost no use for stopping blood clots in AF. The primary risk of AF is Stroke caused by a blood clot forming in the heart during an AF attack and being released when the heart goes back into NSR. Many, Many studies have shown that aspirin has no effect on this at all. Check your CHADS2 / CHA2DS2-VASc score. Ask your Dr if they consider you at risk. If so, I would speak to them about an anticoagulant. A recent study shows that over 35% of those with AF who are not on an anticoagulant will have a stroke... That's a big number and shouldn't be ignored.

Tim

[watchdog in reply to Heapy]

warfrin is the best option. I saw a heart consultant and reckomended a pacemaker,and that the only medication I would be taking is arfrin

[feejbee in reply to Heapy]

Paul I total agree with the other comments about aspirin.I was taking it along with Bisoprolol 5mgs .I was told I was not at risk of a stroke as I am a 58 yr old female who has never smoked ,only drink very occasionally,only slightly overweight and no other medical conditions.I then did have a T.I.A.(mini stroke) after an episode of AF. Still not prescribed Warfarin then had another eposide of AF and then had a minor stroke. Now I am taking Warfarin ! I was never keen to take it but the thought of a stroke is terrifying and any drug that would help to prevent it should be seriously considered and I now believe that is not Aspirin,

Fi

[elmbury]

The answer is a definite 'yes' - I am a keen cyclist (sometimes spending 3 or 4 hours on the bike) and do a fair bit of walking. I have been in permanent AF for a year and in paroxysmal for many years beforehand. The biggest factor probably affecting you is the impact it has on your performance and the increased heart rate that results.

It would be a good idea to get used to wearing a heart rate monitor when exercising and keep an eye on it. You will find that your heart-rate jumps around a fair bit (though the better HRMs seem better at smoothing that). It's best to keep your heart-rate below the 180ish mark but pushing past that for quick sprints or hill climbs is probably not going to do any harm - the key thing is making sure that your resting heart rate is not too high. You may find, like me, that pushing your heart beyond a certain point seems to give no added performance benefit (presumably because the rhythm becomes too messed up) - I would be interested in your findings.

TheStand makes a good point about blood thinners - I wouldn't fancy risking a nasty fall if on warfarin but aspirin is not a concern. The important thing is still to enjoy your exercise and remember the positive health benefits it is giving you.

[MarkS]

I would say you definitely want to keep up the activities. Being fit makes AF so much more manageable.

However as has been mentioned above, it depends to a certain extent on your anti-coagulation. If you have to go on warfarin, then there is an increased risk of a brain bleed. However this depends very much on how much control you have. I have a monitor so I can stay in the right range all the time. If you do this, then the risk of a brain bleed is actually less on warfarin than it is with aspirin (Prof Schilling told me this, and I subsequently found a paper confirming it).

I have had AF for 15 odd years, and carried on with lots of activities in that time. I started taking warfarin about 4 years ago and have dropped hockey, but still go mountain and road biking, kayaking (sea kayaks rather than white water) and canyoning in slot canyons (a bit dodgy that one!).

I fell of my mountain bike last year and got very colourful bruising on my hip which then moved right down my leg.

Mark