Re: When Would I Go To The Hospital?

[Guest guest]

> > A month ago I had my first AFIB attack, where my heartbeat was

250

> > per minute. I had to call 911 as I felt faint and didn't know

what

> > it was.

> >

>

> Hi, Elise,

>

> You need to talk to your doc to get guidelines about what to do,

but

> with a heart rate that high, I think you should either go to the

ER

> or to the doctor's office. I don't know about the stroke risk

that

> someone else mentioned for this case, but I would imagine you'd be

> faint and miserable. Also, if it persists for long enough (days,

> weeks, not sure) it will temporarily stretch the heart.

>

> You should be on meds, like a beta blocker, perhaps, to keep your

> heart rate down when you're in afib.

This is Elise ... I am on Atenolol and Digoxin. I was told that if

I had another attack (likely to happen) the rate would go down, but

if my heart is thumping like crazy in my chest I have no idea how

fast it is going and at what rate or time reference I should go to

the hospital. I know that stroke can happen after 48 hours. But

what could happen in 1 hour or 24 hours?

[Guest guest]

> > A month ago I had my first AFIB attack, where my heartbeat was

250

> > per minute. I had to call 911 as I felt faint and didn't know

what

> > it was.

> >

>

> Hi, Elise,

>

> You need to talk to your doc to get guidelines about what to do,

but

> with a heart rate that high, I think you should either go to the

ER

> or to the doctor's office. I don't know about the stroke risk

that

> someone else mentioned for this case, but I would imagine you'd be

> faint and miserable. Also, if it persists for long enough (days,

> weeks, not sure) it will temporarily stretch the heart.

>

> You should be on meds, like a beta blocker, perhaps, to keep your

> heart rate down when you're in afib.

This is Elise ... I am on Atenolol and Digoxin. I was told that if

I had another attack (likely to happen) the rate would go down, but

if my heart is thumping like crazy in my chest I have no idea how

fast it is going and at what rate or time reference I should go to

the hospital. I know that stroke can happen after 48 hours. But

what could happen in 1 hour or 24 hours?

[Guest guest]

> I was told that if

> I had another attack (likely to happen) the rate would go down, but

> if my heart is thumping like crazy in my chest I have no idea how

> fast it is going and at what rate or time reference I should go to

> the hospital. I know that stroke can happen after 48 hours. But

> what could happen in 1 hour or 24 hours?

I asked my new cardiologist that, and he said for me (age 60, no risk

factors, no underlying heart disease, lone afib) my risk of stroke is

identical to that of a person without afib, and so he would not put

me on coumadin at my age unless something changed, regardless of how

long I went into afib.

I was very surprised, but grubbed around on the web and he is

correct. When I asked him how this could be, because it seems

illogical, he said a healthy heart can handle this situation.

Things may be different for you, so I would ask your doc about what

to do.

[Guest guest]

> I was told that if

> I had another attack (likely to happen) the rate would go down, but

> if my heart is thumping like crazy in my chest I have no idea how

> fast it is going and at what rate or time reference I should go to

> the hospital. I know that stroke can happen after 48 hours. But

> what could happen in 1 hour or 24 hours?

I asked my new cardiologist that, and he said for me (age 60, no risk

factors, no underlying heart disease, lone afib) my risk of stroke is

identical to that of a person without afib, and so he would not put

me on coumadin at my age unless something changed, regardless of how

long I went into afib.

I was very surprised, but grubbed around on the web and he is

correct. When I asked him how this could be, because it seems

illogical, he said a healthy heart can handle this situation.

Things may be different for you, so I would ask your doc about what

to do.