Arterial Fibrillation

[legend]

Hope it all goes well mate.

My BP has dropped considerably and has stayed low, even with a reduction in meds. I'm down to 8mg and my BP is still around the 90/60 range when I get it checked.

Sometimes these things are idiopathic and there is no known cause.

Best of luck.

 

[The Charlatan]

Thanks mate.

The cardiologist said that it could just be idiopathic. A bit strange though that this has manifested in the last 18-24 months though. Up until then it was smooth sailing which logic would indicate that there is a cause behind it.

I can accept "I don't know" as an answer when all avenues have been investigated.

 

[The Charlatan]

Another update.

Had a cardiac MRI a few weeks ago, caught up with the cardiologist last week and it appears I have a defect in the base of the left ventricle call apical trebiculation (sp?)

Basically the wall of the LV hasn't fined out with the compaction of the chamber over the years, however the cardio did say it's only right in the tip and he's never seen that before. He's doing a peer review to see whether that is the key cause. He believes that it is probably causing non-sustained arrhythmia whereas fully developed trebiculation can cause sudden cardiac death.

Getting somewhere now at least. I've noticed a pattern with the arrhythmia. It generally only happens when I'm at rest and when I'm dehydrated.

 

[The Charlatan]

Well they think they've found the cause.

My cardiologist had my MRI peer reviewed and they found that there was no trebiculation.

The septal wall (central wall of the heart,) has thickened slightly between adjacent to the aorta. Apparently this is a common side effect from the aortic valve surgery I had as a young fella and should have subsided by now. The cardiologist has surmised that for whatever reason it has not yet subsided and could be causing the periodic arrhythmia via dodgy impulse pathways in the thickened muscle.

I'm controlling red meat intake and alcohol (haven't drank heavily for a good number of years now,) lost 5 kg and as a result the ectopic beats / arrhythmia have significantly reduced. The only really annoying thing is the light-headedness and pre-syncope I occasionally suffer from the Metoprolol.

 

[legend]

Great to hear mate. I don't have much red meat and only have alcohol on special occasions. Good to hear about the weight loss. I'm trying to drop a few kg's as well.

 

[The Charlatan]

Forgot to update everyone on this. Another thread regarding anxiety and depression reminded me of this thread so I thought I would provide the update:

After it all, it did turn out to be the initial diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, captured heavily over a three day holter monitor test after I had a nervous breakdown and went back to the cardiologist begging for another go at it. Apparently a heavy number of patients who undergo surgical aortic valve replacement surgery go on to develop it, it's just rather uncommon for people my age to develop it. Off Metoprolol and onto Sotalol. It is far more stable for me, and I am exercising heavily again now without ill effect and enjoying life far more than I did before. Already on Warfarin for my artificial aortic valve so I am covered for the incidence of clotting due to the atrial fibrillation. They will monitor me on these drugs now to see how the heart continues on and see if there's any structural change in the heart (i.e. reduction of the thickening of the heart.)

Best thing is that ablation is always an option should the Sotalol eventually lose it's effectiveness.