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
FAQs Newly Diagnosed: Life Threatening?
“Can I die from my Atrial Fibrillation? Is it life threatening?”
Most episodes of A-Fib are not life threatening. Even though you may feel awful, it’s not like having a heart attack.
The biggest danger from A-Fib is the risk of stroke. Because your heart isn’t pumping out properly, blood clots can form and travel to the brain causing stroke. If you have A-Fib, you are five times more likely to have a stroke than the general population. You may need to take a blood thinner like warfarin (Coumadin) or a NOAC to help prevent these clots from forming.
If you’ve had A-Fib for a long time, your heart may enlarge, develop fibrosis and eventually weaken. You may become more prone to other heart problems. For example, If you have A-Fib and aren’t being treated by a doctor, you are five times more likely to have a stroke than the general population. Also, A-Fib may lead to mental deterioration. Atrial fibrillation is independently associated with senile, vascular, and Alzheimer’s dementia.
For more about the physiology of A-Fib, see our Overview of Atrial Fibrillation.
Go back to FAQ for the Newly Diagnosed A-Fib Patient
Last updated: Monday, June 18, 2018
