“Hey get rhythm, when you get the blues, Come on and get rhythm, when you get the blues”Johnny Cash Why should your heart be any different!?!?!? If it’s gonna dance make it a slow dance – calm, collected and smooth. When we discuss a rhythm control strategy for managing atrial fibrillation (afib) as previously mentioned…

“Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances” Maya Angelou Why should your heart be any different!?!?!? If it’s gonna dance make it a slow dance – calm, collected and smooth. When we discuss a rhythm control strategy for managing atrial fibrillation (afib) as previously mentioned we make a concerted effort to restore and…

When it comes to management of afib there are two schools of thought – Rate control and rhythm control. Rate control – Makes no attempt to restore sinus (normal) rhythm – however simply focuses on preventing your pulse/heart rate from getting too fast with the use of medications. Rhythm control –With this strategy we make a…

This week we will dive into the different management options for atrial fibrillation (afib) focusing not only on medical therapies but procedural options. We briefly discussed anticoagulation for stroke prevention in a previous post – but what do we do for our patients who cannot tolerate anticoagulation?!?!?!? Fortunately we now have a number of options……

Why is a cardiologist, an electrophysiologist to be exact, posting about Uric Acid and Gout?!?!? There is a lot of emerging data showing the importance of serum Uric Acid as an independent risk factor for Atrial Fibrillation, arrhythmia recurrence (including post ablation), coronary artery disease, stroke and the list goes on.  The picture in this…

Rhythm is gonna get you…When it comes to managing your atrial fibrillation (in addition to preventing stroke) there are two main strategies… Rate control and Rhythm control. Rate control – no attempt at restoring normal rhythm – you will be placed on medications to slow your heart down/ prevent it from racing. Rhythm control –…

When/if you are diagnosed with atrial fibrillation in addition to risk factor modification your doctor may want to start you on anticoagulation to prevent stroke.  We use a score/model to evaluate your risk of bleeding vs your risk of stroke to help guide a shared decision about starting anticoagulation. Anticoagulation comes in many forms –…

Risky Business….Arguably one of the most important parts of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) management is risk factor modification. When I meet/consult with patients we spend some time talking about what I can do for them and just as much time talking about what they can do for themselves!! One of the biggest modifiable risk factors is…

One of the most feared complications of atrial fibrillation (afib) is a stroke. In fact, you are five times more likely to have a stroke if you have a history of afib. If you think you are having a stroke, you need to act FAST!!  Too many people with a history of cryptogenic stroke (stroke…

Often the reason people develop atrial fibrillation (AFib) is unknown. Quite often, however, AFib results from damage to the electrical system that causes the heart to beat. A number of medical conditions can lead to/cause this damage. Some common ones which are heart related are: Coronary artery diseaseHigh blood pressureCongestive Heart failureHeart valve diseaseHeart surgery  Other…