Ablation for the elderly

Is there more risk when doing an ablation on an elderly patient?

This is an 89yr old male but no idea what type of AFib we are dealing with here.

Welcome NickC,

Many people have had successful ablations even into their early 90s, but the decision and recommendation depends on the patient's overall health status and the nature of any co-morbidities and other such issues that might impact the joint decision between EP and patient who is in their upper 80s range.

It is best to see a highly experienced ablationist who has done many such octogenarian AFIB ablation cases, and work with them and the patient to come to the best individualized decision in each unique case.

Cheers!

Shannon

Well we keep pushing to get a consultation with a Cardiologist but no luck yet. If nothing else we would be able to find out what form of Atrial Fibrillation it is as so far we have had no information whatsoever.

NickC, we can likely figure out the type of AFIB your elderly friend or relative has.

There are three basic types:

1. Paroxysmal AFIB (PAF) typically early to advanced stages in which the AFIb starts and stops on its own without intervention, typically, within 7 days of onset of an episode.

2. Persistent AFIB (PersAF) When unbroken 24/7 AFIB lasts for 7 full days or longer up to 1 year unbroken duration.

3. Long-Standing Persistent AFIB (LSPAF) is 24/7 persistent AF lasting a full 365 days and longer to indefinite.

*4. Permanent AF - I put an asterisk beside this dubious label that used to be used more when there really was nothing much we could do for LSPAF patients but park them in a rare control cocktail to prevent cardiomyopathy from happening too soon and in life long blood thinner so hopefully the patient does not stroke out on the EP or Cardios watch while in essence what they are doing is pushing the 'dead-ender' LSPAF patients out on the ice flows with the elderly eskimos! Not a very good solution to be sure!

Now elite level persistent and LSPAF EPs can offer far better solutions for these most challenging cases of progressive AFIB and, as such, the term Permanent AFIB is not often used any longer, certainly not by more up-to-date ablation experts. Besides it was always more of a term of surrender in NOT being able to fundamentally improve the heart health of patients via either freedom from all arrhythmia or greatly deduced AF/AT burden.

Shannon



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2017 12:00PM by Shannon.

At the moment he is using a blood pressure machine to test once a day and 80% of the time it shows A/F.