Doctors & patients are saying about 'A-Fib.com'...

"A-Fib.com is a great web site for patients, that is unequaled by anything else out there."

Dr. Douglas L. Packer, MD, FHRS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

"Jill and I put you and your work in our prayers every night. What you do to help people through this [A-Fib] process is really incredible."

Jill and Steve Douglas, East Troy, WI

“I really appreciate all the information on your website as it allows me to be a better informed patient and to know what questions to ask my EP.

Faye Spencer, Boise, ID, April 2017

“I think your site has helped a lot of patients.”

Dr. Hugh G. Calkins, MD Johns Hopkins,
Baltimore, MD

Doctors & patients are saying about 'Beat Your A-Fib'...

"If I had [your book] 10 years ago, it would have saved me 8 years of hell.”

Roy Salmon, Patient, A-Fib Free,
Adelaide, Australia

"This book is incredibly complete and easy-to-understand for anybody. I certainly recommend it for patients who want to know more about atrial fibrillation than what they will learn from doctors...."

Pierre Jaïs, M.D. Professor of Cardiology, Haut-Lévêque Hospital, Bordeaux, France

"Dear Steve, I saw a patient this morning with your book [in hand] and highlights throughout. She loves it and finds it very useful to help her in dealing with atrial fibrillation."

Dr. Wilber Su,
Cavanaugh Heart Center, Phoenix, AZ

"...masterful. You managed to combine an encyclopedic compilation of information with the simplicity of presentation that enhances the delivery of the information to the reader. This is not an easy thing to do, but you have been very, very successful at it."

Ira David Levin, heart patient,
Rome, Italy

"Within the pages of Beat Your A-Fib, Dr. Steve Ryan, PhD, provides a comprehensive guide for persons seeking to find a cure for their Atrial Fibrillation."

Walter Kerwin, MD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA

With 3-4 Second Pauses, Do I Need a Pacemaker?

Published June 15, 2016

We’ve answered a new FAQ about understanding A-Fib with long pauses and if a pacemaker is appropriate.

“I have paroxysmal A-Fib with “pauses” at the end of an event. I can’t tell how many of these I have experienced. Will they stop if my A-Fib is cured?

My cardiologist recommends a pacemaker to prevent blackouts during a pause as well as other serious heart problems. I am willing, but want to learn more about these pauses first.”

I had the same problem. I’d get pauses as long as 6 seconds and get dizzy, I felt like I was about to faint, etc. It was very frightening. But the pauses completely disappeared when my A-Fib was cured by a catheter ablation back in 1998.

Pauses are “Normal” in A-Fib

Pauses of up to 4 seconds duration in atrial fibrillation are considered as ‘normal’. Just because you have pauses doesn’t mean there is something wrong with your Sinus or AV Node and doesn’t mean that you need a pacemaker. When you are returned to normal sinus rhythm (NSR), these pauses usually disappear.

Unfortunately, many cardiologists don’t know this and will try to rush you into having a pacemaker implant…Read the rest of my answer… .