Because of their effectiveness, do you think antiarrhymthic drugs like flecainide could so mask afib breakthroughs by greatly reducing their severity and frequency that one wouldn't know if he/she was in some stage of atrial fibrillation or not? This could be a serious problem if true because remodelling of the heart could be taking place without the afibber even knowing it, and thus making an ablation more difficult.
Suppose one is on an antiarrhymic drug and waiting for the first breakthrough before signing up for an ablation. This person could be waiting longer than would be recommended because he/she perhaps wouldn't know if fibrillation was occuring. If it was, and they didn't know it because of their antiarrhyhmic's effectiveness in reducing the level of the afib, then remodeling of the heart could be occuring, thus perhaps compromising the success of a future ablation.
Could it be that ironically the effectiveness of an antiarrhythmic drug could also be the cause of problems for the afib patient?
I don't want to be an alarmist, but this question keeps returning to my mind as it personally impacts me. I am on Tambocor (fleciainide) and doing very well on it, but occasionally I feel what I THINK are some very brief, minor, and vague heart irregularities. They are so faint I am not really sure what I am feeling. As I say, they are extremely slight and only are experienced occasionally. To my knowledge, I would estimate I am in normal sinus rhythm 99% of the time. But I wonder if my Tambocor's effectiveness might be masking more irregularities than I am aware of... Any thoughts?
I definitely want an ablation when I start having breakthroughs, but I wonder if I might be having them now but am not aware of it because of my medicine's effectiveness.
Another question: Do you think it is common to feel slight palpitations, fluttering, irregularities, etc. that aren't really afib while on an antiarrhythmic drug?
I would be most appreciative of any and all thoughts!
Stan
