Hi
Looking for help and advice I was diagnosed with AF in May and stayed in hospital as I felt like I was drowning my pulse was 170
Now I have mild left atrium dilated
I am undergoing cardio version next month to correct the AF
My concern is the dilated atrium is this manageable or is this bleak as of now I have had o advice from doctors
Hi. AF feels awful. I had atrial flutter but a cardioversion sorted it out. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you are able to get back into sinus rhythm. The cardioversion I had was under general anaesthetic so I didn’t feel a thing. I woke up afterwards with a mild burn (like suntan) on my back but it was well worth it. Try not to worry.
I had a dilated left atrium and it was linked to mitral valve regurgitation. After my surgery it started to go back to a normal size as it was not under so much pressure. I don’t know anything about AF really but there are some very knowledgeable people on this site who I’m sure will be along shortly to share their experience. 😊
Hi Anon It’s really kind of you to reply
It’s the first good news I have had as information from the hospital is non existent
I am really pleased your AF is under control and it’s really positive that your atrium is returning to normal
Hi. I know how you feel. The follow up care I’ve had has been non existent really and I left hospital knowing nothing. There are tons of people on this site who I’m sure will be able to help. Do yourself a favour and try not to Google your health conditions, I nearly tipped myself over the edge doing that!! There are some good websites such as pumping marvellous and the British heart foundation which will explain things in easy terms. You can also ring the British heart foundation nurses who are very helpful. 0300303311. I’m sure you will get more replies shortly from people who know more about AF than me but until then, try not to worry. 😊.
HiGlad to know your atrium is gradually going back to normal size. Mine was severely dilated prior to my mitral valve repair for regurgitation so hopefully I will see some signs of improvement on my next echo. Thank you!
I’ll definitely keep my fingers crossed for you. The surgeon told me that once the pressure was reduced then it would revert back to normal. 😊.
I think the majority of us on this site have some degree of health anxiety. It’s awful finding out that your heart isn’t working as well as you'd thought but there are brilliant treatments available and a lot of people with heart problems live long and full lives. The stats on Google are often outdated and not relevant and only serve to increase anxiety. 😊
Thank you your post have cheered me up that’s it’s not the end . If I can get back to being able to walk a decent distance I will be a happy make
Yep another former cardioverson patient here, my AF was due to left ventricle (LV) dilation but I was an severe case so it knocked me quite and took my whole body and organs about two days to recover. Rest assured the fact you have a mild dilation means the reset is not likely to be as shock to your system.
Of course I'm not a doctor but my CV was rushed up quick to minimise the strain my heart as as I have recovered my AF did not return and I'm 3 years + now.
It sounds like I might be putting a downer on things but please be assured that your CV not being needed immediately is most likely a good sign and after your recovery you'll be feeling a lot better with yourself.
Rest up during this heatwave and we are always here for a chat
Thank you so much for your lovely message . It’s great that it’s worked for you .I didn’t think about it being mild as positive more as worse case scenario but your right if it was bad then I would have been rushed
I can see me needing a few chats as I am a little anxious
Mild left atrial enlargement on a scale of assessment of left atrial size is as follows Male Female
Normal (mm) 30—40 27—38
Mild (mm) 41—46 39—42
Moderate (mm) 47—52 43—46
Severe (mm) ≥ 52 ≥ 47
My understanding is that really large left atria can be up to 65mm plus in men
I think the cut of point for ablation for atrial fib is 55 mm for men. Above that apparently ablation is not successful as atrial fib returns
I need to understand them figures more I remember a 50 on my discharge I think 50> does that make any sense
Ok I’mTalking nonsense the wording is “left atrium cavity mildly dilated “ “ mild mitralregurgitation noted”
Hi. Hope you are feeling more reassured today.
I had severe mitral regurgitation and that caused my left atrium to become large. After surgery it’s back to normal size. They don’t usually do surgery unless it’s severe regurgitation. Yours may never get to that point. They reckon that everyone has some degree of regurgitation so please try not to worry.
I also wondered if you wanted to look at a post which was put up recently entitled “28 years old with a diagnosis”. A forum member called lowerfield gives an excellent explanation of ejection fraction which should put your mind at ease. 50 is normal. The medics hardly ever explain this to people for some reason. Best wishes.
Yes thank you I Feeling much more positive on Saturday I left hospital not really understanding what was going on or how so my words I have ne et heard before and the doctors were really short to the point so it totally confused me , this forum and the kindness shown has helped me a great deal
Yes it would be great to read that post from lower field
Sorry, the poster was actually “thatwasunexpected”. I hope they won’t mind me cutting and pasting their words but it’s an excellent explanation of ejection fraction. This was in response to someone who was worried about an ef of 40. Obviously yours is 50 so you’ll need to adjust the figures.
“You say your heart "is working at 40%" which almost certainly means you've bern told your "left ventricular ejection fraction" (lvef or, sometimes, just ef) is 40%. That means that, on each beat, the main chamber of your heart pumps out 40% of the blood inside it.
That is NOT the same as "your heart working at 40%". A normal, totally healthy, lvef is in the range of (roughly) 50% to 75%, with most between about 55 and 65%.
Yours, at 40%, isn't "working at 40% of what it should be" because nobody ever has 100%. If they did, their heart would empty completely and they'd die!
If you take 50% ef as the minimum baseline for a healthy heart, your 40% ef is 40x100/50 of that, which is 80% of "what it should be". So your heart is "working at 80%", not 40.
Yes that’s great how strange that no one bothered to explain this to me at hospital. So my 50 means my heart is 100 per cent pumping as a low normal rate
At 50 yours is perfectly fine and classed as normal. That’s really good news.
Hi Anon do you know or have a understanding is the heart stays at 50 for a period of time or does it decline . I am52 years old so can I expect mine to drop to day 40 in 3-4 years ?
Hi. I think ef can go up or down. Mine was 55% before my second mitral valve replacement but then dropped to 45 because I caught endocarditis which damaged my heart muscle. They tell me that with meds, exercise and healthy diet they hope it can increase. I know meds such as entresto can really help to increase ef but they wouldn’t prescribe that to you as your ef is ok. Please try not to worry too much. The overriding thing that I noticed in the letter that you showed was the amount of time they said the word “normal”. That’s really positive. X
Thanks Anon I seem to have good periods then kind of nervous , no they are scared periods Thank you once again
hi Anon2023
How’s it going
is it still reversing in size ?
I am still waiting for any news ad if yet no results of my heart monitor from September
Hi, I have Afib and moderate to severe DCM, I am not suitable for a cardioversion or ablation. I have a cocktail of meds that keep me going and apart from being breathless I still go to seated yoga and walk as much as I can. At the end of May I spent a week in Greece on Rhodes, the resort I stayed at had a virtual vertical climb from the beach back to our apartment! I did it every day albeit with a couple or three stops 👍 The diagnosis of heart failure is such a shock but it's not the end, it's the start of a new beginning! You will get there, good luck on your journey
Hi sorry to ask what is DCM is that the same as a dilated left atrium that I have ?
Sorry to be late in replying. DCM is Dilated Cardiomyopathy. What it means is the left side of the heart has 'stretched' and a bit baggy meaning the heart can't pump at the pressure it should. However, I have just read subsequent posts and I don't think you come under that category. I do hope I hav'n't given you a fright! There are so many variations of heart problems and so much that is able to be done to help you. Good luck and let us know how you get on xx
Here is the finding not sure if anyone could explain it as the doctor only gave me a couple of minutes and I never got my questions out I have cut out the bottom which has my details
Hi there
I'm not a medic but I am someone with 18 year history of atrial fibrillation which has resulted in enlarged heart and left ventricular disfunction/ lowered Ejection fraction.
Echo reports are very technical and sound scary. The best thing I did was ring bhf helpline and read it out to them. They explained the details. Your GP should also be able to assist
Looking at yours as a non medic I would say it is all in the normal to mild category which is good news!! It says your Ejection fraction is low normal, estimated at 50 %. This does not mean it is only working at 50%. The normal range is 50 to 75%. It is never 100%.
This can also increase after successful treatment I'm told. I haven't had that experience because they haven't been able to get me back into normal rhythm. But that's due to the long history of AF. Many people have successful treatment. Others will testify to that.
A cardioversion is completely painless and you are home a few hours after. You will be asleep through it but it's light sedation so you wake up feeling reasonably alert and hopefully back I sinus rhythm. Cardioversion is used to get you back into sinus and often as part of the journey towards other (longer term) treatment options like an ablation.
Wishing you all the best!
Hi fulloffheart can I ask do you know if the EF stays at 50 for a period of time is it dangerous to be just borderline
Hi, sorry for delayed response. It depends what you mean by dangerous. Risks with AF, and associated impacts, include stroke risk and heart failure risk. Treatment for AF and lifestyle changes can reduce these risks but its not a straightforward risk assessment as there are lots of variables. I'd recommend talking it through with your GP, consultant or the BHF nurses.I hope you feel reassured by all the responses you have received.
I think by dangerous I am thinking more of the EF level being close to dangerous
If the EF is 40 ٪ or lower, this is classed as heart failure I believe. But this is still treatable.But you are not in that category.
Thank you I guess I have read so much where 40-50 is borderline and I am nervous how quickly I could drop into this zone
I understand. I'm in the same place and it can feel scary, but you have lots of treatment options available to you, with the aim of preventing that from happening.
Kind of you to spend time to offer reassurance whenYou are in the same situation.
I have good periods then nervous periods all in seems within a short time of each other . I see in America 55 is the lowest normal EF for example
It can be a bit of a rollercoaster can't it? Feeling up and down is part of the process I think.
Your echo really doesn't sound too bad though and there are plenty of treatment options available to you.
That’s helped me thank you for taking the time this really is a great site . Your information regarding the 50 is fantastic as I read that as bad news thank you so much
Anyone know is inferior wall something that’s corrected or managed with medication or treatment sorry to ask so many questions
Hi there,
I am not a medic and you should always consult with your doctors regarding explanation and treatment, but my view on some of your Echo info is as follows:
Hypokinesis refers to reduced range of motion, which can happen in the heart walls (in your case septum and inferior walls). This can be related to the lower but still decent Ejection Fraction of 50%. As someone else explained, normal EF is usually in the range of 50 - 70%.
LVH is a thickening of the Left Ventricle walls, but yours is declared as mild.
Mitral Valve regurgitation is mild, and frankly a pretty common finding as we age.
Left Atrial dilation is mild and very common in people with AF.
Overall I would say your Echo is pretty decent and if you can get into NSR through the Conversion you have planned and stay in NSR by whatever means (lifestyle, medication, ablation, maze procedures, etc.), your heart will likely stabilize and improve going forward.
Best of luck to you!
Also to answer your question from the other poster, DCM refers to Dilated Cardiomyopathy and usually refers to a Left Ventricle that's somewhat dilated or like a baloon. A dilated Left Atrium is similar in concept but considerably milder compared to issues with the Left Ventricle.
Thank you that’s reassured me . I must be a pain asking so many questions I really appreciate your help and knowledge
Hi Bobsbeat You have been very helpful but could I ask again for uour knowledge of the mitral valve is that left how it is or can drugs control it or in time would surgery be required
I have not had any valves replaced but I do have trace regurgitation in the mitral and tricuspid valves, which again is pretty common as we age. There are other disease processes and genetic issues which can impact valve health, but in your case at a mild level there would be no intervention at this point I don't think.
All things that are healthy for the heart (BP control, Cholesterol control, Weight control, Regular Exercise, Proper Diet, Proper Sleep and treating Sleep Apnea if appropriate, etc.) would be the protocol for heart health in addition to maintaining NSR as previously mentioned. Any medication would be used to control these other factors (i.e. ACE/ARB for BP, Statins for Cholesterol, AAD for Rythm control, Beta Blockers for Rate control, Anticoagulants for stroke risk reduction, etc.)
Hi all reading over your replies is making me feel more positive if only my GP would engage more it would be nice
To be honest a lot of GP's have only general knowledge of heart problems. The BHF, Pumping Marvelous and the NHS websites will have more specific information. We have all been Newbies and scared at one time so keep asking the questions and we will give whatever support we can. We are not doctors but people who are managing their conditions to the best of their ability.
Does mild mitrial regurgitation progress from mild to severe or can it just staff mild sorry it’s another question
Hi. I’m not a doctor but my understanding is as follows; mild regurgitation with no symptoms may never require treatment. Mitral valve repair only really comes into play when symptoms become too troublesome or other issues arise such as heart muscle problems or low ef etc.. If regurgitation becomes severe then repair or replacement of the valve may become necessary. There is no telling really how long it will take someone to progress from mild to severe regurgitation or if they ever will get to the point where surgery is required. My regurgitation was apparently as a result of catching rheumatic fever as a child (no idea how I got this!) and it took until I was 50 to become symptomatic. I had no idea of my problems when I first met the cardiologist and honestly thought it was the menopause. I had severe regurgitation by then and required surgery. Now that they know about your problems you should be monitored as a patient in a long term condition clinic at your gp surgery. Hope this offers some reassurance. 😊
Here my full report without my name
Dilated cardiomyopathy 
Dilated Cardiomyopathy?
dilated cardiomyopathy
AF, EF 29%, severely dilated and impaired LV function. Advice please. 
dilated left ventricle informed over the phone (heart failure) 1 week ago 
