Stacked Triggers

I found this "stacked trigger" concept relating to migraines probably relevant to Afib:

"But it is not a precise exercise [keeping track of triggers]. Not all culprits cause migraines each time, and sometimes migraines result only when factors occur simultaneously -- so called "stacked triggers." For instance, while perfume alone might not cause a problem, drinking a glass of red wine might change those odds for the worse. To further complicate matters, some sufferers have a delayed response to stimuli, and triggers can even change over time. Because of inconsistencies, identifying a trigger might not be easy." The Answers to Good Health: 260+ Questions you've always wanted to ask your doctor." O. Avitzur, M.D, .M Lipman, M.D., et all, Consumer Reports


IMO, the main trigger escalating or triggering a number of triggers is emotional stress -

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Makes perfect sense. I could not agree more. Just common and good sense - wholistic approach on all fronts. Thanks for the concept for me. Jeff

In my case, as I've previously noted, consuming excess (for me) calcium "changed the odds for the worse." Things that were not triggers before, or after the 15 or so months when I was consuming excess calcium, became triggers during that time.

I could also change the odds for the better. A consistent trigger for me is excessive endurance exercise (excessive being my subjective sense - trigger being the product of intensity and time under that intensity). Once I was going to participate in a couloir climb at 13,000' (basically climbing a very long, steep, narrow, snowy, icy, rocky gully with ice axes, a heavy pack and crampons). I knew this was a high risk (afib wise) venture for me. I slammed about triple my normal (which is already very high - multiple gram) magnesium intake and escaped without an episode.

Regarding "stacked triggers," I meant to say that anything - too much or too little exercise, food, drink, minerals, lack of sleep, and especially anxiety and stress,- for those so predisposed by heredity and body type, personal history, etc. letting ourselves get out of balance, can precipitate afib, flutter, etc.

Why are we so sensitive? Do we bring it on ourselves?

Is there more afib, flutter now then in the past? What parts of the world are relatively free of it?

Someday this condition will be predictable by genetic studies and treatable - individual blueprints.

In the meantime we have to take notice of our individual make- ups and attempt to monitor ourselves.