Patients who have had an irregular heart beat can't ever be considered 'cured'

More depressing news for all of us......

[medicalxpress.com]

CHADS2VASC score??

Other comorbities.

And that is why I continue to take Eliquis and will continue to do so although my A-fib has been "resolved" after my 3rd ablation over 3 1/2 years ago. I realize that it can come back at some time in the future and I want to be protected from stroke if that should occur.

Patients with an abnormal heart rhythm that can leave them at a higher risk of suffering from stroke still need treatment even after their heart rhythm seems to have returned to normal, say researchers at the University of Birmingham.

Operative word here - seems.

Sounds like they are talking about “silent AF”, or the community of folks who don’t experience symptoms from AF and are unaware of their arrhythmia.

Check your pulse, get a Kardia, or even a simple phone app to detect arrhythmia and be in know instead of in the dark. If you’re verifiably in rhythm and have been for some time then there isn’t an elevated stroke risk absent other significant comorbidities.

What George and Wolfpack said,

The DOI isn't active yet, so can't look at the paper. I would bet anything that the average afibber in a GPs office has comorbidities and higher CADS2VASC scores. They have higher stroke risk even if they don't have afib. I've spent a lot of time and effort to not have hyperinsulinemia.

If your insulin response is elevated, many bad things can happen.

It's a poorly worded report. I think what they are saying is that people who are told their AF has resolved (maybe go onto ER and HR returns to normal) without any follow up maybe have AF occurring without them being aware of it.

In these cases obviously they are at risk. Blood thinners and rate or rhythm control options should be looked at. I don't think we are ever cured but we can certainly lessen our risk of stroke and PE's by following some form of strategy to assist us in lessening the risk.

What George, wolfpack and JoyWin said.

All it's basically saying is that once you've had AF that's resolved (whether spontaneously, with meds or CV) then one is at risk of having it again therefore the commensurate stroke risk continues. No 5h!t Sherlock!

It would have been good to have "resolved" defined in the article, but it seemed to suggest that it meant "when not in afib" or "between episodes". So, basically, it's not news since those that have repeat or occasional episodes are given blood thinners. Those who have been ablated successfully without returning episodes would not normally need blood thinners - That's me.

"Atrial fibrillation can be present one day and absent the next, so giving someone the all-clear may be a mistake. Another possibility is that it can come back. Many people don't know when they have this condition and it can come back without them or their doctor realising.

This is from that report, what doctor gives the "all-clear" when one has AF one day and not the next, that is ridiculous. Also they are saying that many don't know they are in AF, which is true, but many do know. Not a very good report.

Liz

Is this really news? We know that those with SAF and unresolved are at a higher risk. For the resolved, possibly some natural safeguards would be in order for life.