Afib Burden numbers March 11, 2021 12:07AM |
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Re: Afib Burden numbers March 11, 2021 03:02PM |
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JDfiB
What then is the usefulness / purpose of this number other than knowing how much afib you've during a given time period?
Re: Afib Burden numbers March 12, 2021 12:02AM |
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Re: Afib Burden numbers March 12, 2021 07:43AM |
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walt
I was first diagnosed with aFib during a pre-surgical work up and was asymptomatic even though my HR was spiking in the 180 range. Over the years, I discovered if I was in aFib while measuring my wrist PR or BP and was asymptomatic in every instance. I do have a Kardia but find monitoring my wrist pulse rate pretty accurate and convenient. I will check my pulse rate a few times a day and definitely every evening. I also have a BP monitor which also has some type of algorithm that puts out an icon if it detects an irregular rhythm. So I guess I’m asking what is the best way to determine your aFib burden if you a asymptomatic particularly with respect to short lived episodes. In my case, I think I have been in NSR for at least 9 months but maybe then again maybe not.
Re: Afib Burden numbers March 13, 2021 12:39AM |
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Re: Afib Burden numbers March 13, 2021 10:41AM |
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Re: Afib Burden numbers March 13, 2021 10:42AM |
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walt
How often do you wear your Polar monitor or your Sp02 ring?
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I did scan through the link you posted most of which was above my pay grade. However, in the first example dated 20/10/2006 the max heart rate was reported as 3333 bpm. I’m assuming that is 3,333 bpm!
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It seems that to accurately measure your aFib burden you must constantly monitor yourself in some way.
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I have been reading about the newest Apple Watch 6 series but I think comments are somewhat mixed about them with respect to aFib but I would consider one if it could get me from point A to point B with respect to monitoring my aFib. I guess I was hoping there was a more simple way to do this even though common sense would say otherwise.
Re: Afib Burden numbers March 14, 2021 12:50AM |
Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 146 |
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GeorgeN
How long are typical afib episodes you are trying to track. Seconds/minutes/hours?
How high is your average heart rate?
How often do you wear your Polar monitor or your Sp02 ring?
I have a different situation than you. My afib doesn't convert unless I do something. With the exception of my breathing or other experiments, I've converted every episode I've had since my 2 1/2 month episode in 2004, with flecainide, I've not let the afib run days to see if it converts. While my symptoms are not huge & I can easily function while in afib, I am aware when I'm in afib & quick check of the radial pulse will confirm it. Hence I rarely wear the Polar all night. I do wear the SpO2 ring, but looking at O2.
I did scan through the link you posted most of which was above my pay grade. However, in the first example dated 20/10/2006 the max heart rate was reported as 3333 bpm. I’m assuming that is 3,333 bpm!
The 3,333 is likely an artefact. It is supposed to be the highest rate seen. In that image, it could be from a very quick PAC on the right side of the graph. More likely an artefact in the data.
It seems that to accurately measure your aFib burden you must constantly monitor yourself in some way.
In Mark's example you selected, the average heart rate in the graph is 65. If your average afib heart rate was 65, and your normal heart rate was say 60, what I'm suggesting would not work. If your average afib heart rate is in the 100's, then anything that continuously tracks your heart rate should tell you the story. Again, in Mark's example, the afib stands out, even though the average rate is slow, because of the variability. For example, if you are sleeping and your heart rate goes to 150, then that is likely afib. If you also just had tachycardia, then this would not discriminate between afib and the tachy. You'd need a beat to beat record to see that (or a Holter).
I happened to catch afib on the ring. On the right size of the graph, with the SpO2 drops, was me, after waking, trying unsuccessfully to convert with an exhaled breath hold. So in my examples below, there are two cues that it is afib - the higher than normal rate and the variable heart rate.
[i.ibb.co]
A zoom of before and going into afib. Note the irregular beat rate, even though my afib rate during sleep wasn't that high, it was higher than normal
[i.ibb.co]
A normal night. This looks a little irregular, because the data display is compressed. If I zoomed in, it would look much smoother, like the NSR pre afib, in the graph above.
[i.ibb.co]
I have been reading about the newest Apple Watch 6 series but I think comments are somewhat mixed about them with respect to aFib but I would consider one if it could get me from point A to point B with respect to monitoring my aFib. I guess I was hoping there was a more simple way to do this even though common sense would say otherwise.
What I'm saying is you don't need a device that identifies the afib - just something that tracks (records) the heart rate with a short enough average to see the increase in variability and heart rate.
Re: Afib Burden numbers March 16, 2021 05:49PM |
Registered: 11 years ago Posts: 4,228 |
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walt
I recall 3 episodes with the last one lasting approximately 2 months and requiring an ECV. Long story there related to COVID hospital shutdowns, my EP leaving, and more. My HR rarely left the 70’s. The other episodes lasted 1 to 2 days with low HR’s and self converted using added flecainide. I detected the latter 3 episodes measuring my radial pulse and confirming with Kardia. As far as what episodes I’m try to track well that’s just it. How do I track something if, because I am asymptomatic, I don’t even know I’m having them. Hence the question about wearing an iwatch 24/7 or some other device more regularly? I do get your comment about not needing to know if it’s aFib just so you are able to somehow track the “event.” The comment up thread about aFib burden perhaps having some limited value is good to know. So maybe there are better things for me to obsess about. But, as I said, I’m trying. Thanks for your patience.
Re: Afib Burden numbers March 16, 2021 11:16PM |
Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 146 |
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GeorgeN
I recall 3 episodes with the last one lasting approximately 2 months and requiring an ECV. Long story there related to COVID hospital shutdowns, my EP leaving, and more. My HR rarely left the 70’s. The other episodes lasted 1 to 2 days with low HR’s and self converted using added flecainide. I detected the latter 3 episodes measuring my radial pulse and confirming with Kardia. As far as what episodes I’m try to track well that’s just it. How do I track something if, because I am asymptomatic, I don’t even know I’m having them. Hence the question about wearing an iwatch 24/7 or some other device more regularly? I do get your comment about not needing to know if it’s aFib just so you are able to somehow track the “event.” The comment up thread about aFib burden perhaps having some limited value is good to know. So maybe there are better things for me to obsess about. But, as I said, I’m trying. Thanks for your patience.
If you are worried about episodes lasting a day or longer, then sampling once a day with your radial pulse and/or your Kardia should suffice. You can sample more often through the day to catch shorter episodes (say twice a day to catch episodes lasting 12 or more hours). If you are worried about a few minute episode or even an hour while you are asleep, then you would need a recording device. My ring device works, but I don't think I'd want to wear it all day, every day. But it does indicate that averaging your pulse (or at least my afib pulse) over 4 seconds shows enough of the variability to be able to "see" an episode. I'm not familiar enough with devices I don't own to recommend for this use.
In my opinion, the shorter the episode, the less to worry about, unless they are extremely frequent.