Doctors & patients are saying about 'A-Fib.com'...
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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
Which Comes First: Sleep Apnea or Atrial Fibrillation?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) affects about 100 million people worldwide with 85% of cases going undiagnosed.
Of Atrial Fibrillation patients, about 43% additionally suffer with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Could undiagnosed sleep apnea be linked to development of Atrial Fibrillation?
OSA Link to A-Fib
OSA is characterized by repetitive episodes of shallow or paused breathing during sleep that lead to a drop in blood oxygen level and disrupted sleep.
New research has found that patients with Sleep Apnea may be at greater risk of developing Atrial Fibrillation. Abnormal oxygen saturation level during sleep may be responsible.
Patients with OSA are more likely to have high blood pressure, or hypertension, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions.
Risk of New Onset A-Fib: The Clinical Cohort Study
Lead author Dr. Tetyana Kendzerska, Ph.D., of the University of Ottawa in Canada, and colleagues reviewed the records of 8,256 adults (average age 47) with suspected OSA. Individuals with any diagnosis of arrhythmias were excluded. Participants were followed for an average of 10 years. During that time, 173 developed A-Fib resulting in hospitalization.
Study Results
The reviewers found that the amount of sleep time spent with lower than normal oxygen saturation (below 90 percent) was a significant predictor of developing Atrial Fibrillation.
By contrast, the number of breathing pauses during each hour of sleep did not appear to affect A-Fib risk.
Study participants who developed A-Fib during the follow-up period were more likely to be older, current or former smokers, and have a high level of comorbidities (e.g. high blood pressure, or hypertension).
“The association between oxygen desaturation and A-Fib remains significant, suggesting that OSA can directly cause A-Fib.”
What This Means to Patients
In light of this study, a diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation raises the question, ”Could my A-Fib have been brought on by undiagnosed Sleep Apnea?”
Sandy from Boston and her doctor say ‘yes”. Updating her personal A-Fib story, she wrote:
“After my [successful] CryoBalloon ablation at BWH in 2014, I underwent a sleep study that revealed during REM sleep I stopped breathing an average of 32 times every hour. My physician suspected that my traumatic brain injury in 1995 caused my undiagnosed sleep apnea, which in turn caused Paroxysmal A-Fib. I have been using a CPAP ever since.”
Take Action: Sleep Apnea Can be Lethal: If you have untreated Sleep Apnea, you are at greater risk of having a more severe form of A-Fib or of not benefiting from an A-Fib treatment.
So many A-Fib patients also suffer from sleep apnea that many Electrophysiologists (EPs) routinely send their patients for a sleep apnea study.
Sleep apnea isn’t a minor health problem, and it’s a condition you can do something about. To learn more, see Sleep Apnea: When Snoring Can Be Lethal.
Updated Video: Zio Patch Single-Use Ambulatory Cardiac Monitor
The Zio® Patch by iRhythm is an interesting advancement in single-use ambulatory heart monitors. It looks like a big band-aid! After use, you return it to your doctor for downloading of the data.
My first-hand experience: I wore one awhile back, after a prostate exam when my heart appeared to briefly be in A-Fib. As a followup, my cardiologist had me wear a Zio® Patch for two weeks. Result: no A-Fib! It turned out to be a one-time occurrence brought on by the medical test.
Updated Video: Zio® XT Patch
We’ve posted an updated video of the the Zio® XT Patch (iRhythm):
Description: The Zio® Patch cardiac monitor (iRhythm) looks similar to a 2-by-5-inch adhesive bandage and sticks to a patient’s chest.
In the video, Electrophysiologists, Dr Parri Dominic and Dr Ryan Jones of LSU Health Sciences Center, talk about this single-use ambulatory, continuously cardiac monitor that records for up to 14 days. No need to removal during exercise, sleeping or bathing. (2:04 min.) Posted by University Health News Network. Go to video->
Video: What is the Upright Tilt Table Test?
Do you experience dizziness or fainting spells? The upright tilt table test is a simple and effective way for collect important data for a diagnosis. In this short video, Natalie Zalmanova, NYCVA physician assistant, explains the steps of the tilt table test. With footage of in-progress test. (1:15 min.) Posted by New York Cardiovascular Associates on Oct 19, 2012.
YouTube video playback controls: When watching this video, you have several playback options. The following controls are located in the lower right portion of the frame: Turn on closed captions, Settings (speed/quality), Watch on YouTube website, and Enlarge video to full frame. Click an icon to select.
If you find any errors on this page, email us. Y Last updated: Tuesday, February 20, 2018 Return to Instructional A-Fib Videos and Animations
Video: The Zio® Patch (iRhythm) Single-Use Ambulatory Cardiac Monitor
The Zio® Patch cardiac monitor (iRhythm) looks similar to a 2-by-5-inch adhesive bandage and sticks to a patient’s chest. Electrophysiologists, Dr Parri Dominic and Dr Ryan Jones of LSU Health Sciences Center, talk about this single-use ambulatory, continuously cardiac monitor that records for up to 14 days. No need to removal during exercise, sleeping or bathing. (2:04 min.)
Posted by University Health News Network, Sept 25, 2017.
YouTube video playback controls: When watching this video, you have several playback options. The following controls are located in the lower right portion of the frame: Turn on closed captions, Settings (speed/quality), Watch on YouTube website, and Enlarge video to full frame. Click an icon to select.
If you find any errors on this page, email us. Y Last updated: Tuesday, February 20, 2018
More FREE ‘Learn the Heart’ ECG Online Review Courses
Recently I posted about a FREE online course ‘ECG Basics‘ at Healio/LearnTheHeart.com designed to expand your understanding of Electrocardiograms (ECG or EKG) (see our description page).
More ‘Learn the Heart’ ECG Review Courses
This week I expanded the list of Healio ECG short courses that may be of interest to Atrial Fibrillation patients. Each includes examples of 12-lead ECGs and, where appropriate, specific criteria. Check out the following:
Illustration: Healio ‘Atrial Fibrillation ECG Review‘
• Atrial Fibrillation ECG Review‘
• Atrial Flutter ECG Review
• Premature Atrial Contractions (PACs) ECG Review
• Left Atrial Enlargement (LAE) ECG Review
• Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia (AVNRT) ECG Review
ECG Quizzes, Too
You can also challenge yourself with the Beginner ECG Quiz featuring detailed answers and links to pertinent explanation pages. Or test your overall knowledge of Atrial Fibrillation with a multiple choice Atrial Fibrillation Quiz.
Steve’s Brief Overview: The EKG Signal
If you want just a brief overview of the ECG waveform signal and how to “read” an ECG tracing, go to my report, Understanding the EKG Signal.
Learn to Read Your ECG: Free Online Self-Paced Courses at Healio.com
For the reader wanting a more extensive understanding of the Electrocardiogram and A-Fib, we offer you a link to Healio Learn the Heart—a FREE online cardiology resource for those seeking to increase their knowledge of ECG tracings interpretation and cardiovascular diseases.
‘Learn the Heart’: A Review or ECG Basics
I suggest you start with the ‘Atrial Fibrillation ECG Review‘ then move on to the ‘ECG Basics‘ to analyze each part of the ECG tracing. Included are detailed explanations and ECG images of the heart in Atrial Fibrillation.
The ‘ECG Basics‘ is concise and focused on only what you need to know, yet very thorough — from waves to segments to complexes. On the LearnTheHeart.com website:
⇒ Go to the Atrial Fibrillation ECG Review->
⇒ Go to the ECG Basics training module->
Reviews and Quizzes, Too
You can even challenge yourself with the Beginner ECG Quiz featuring detailed answers and links to pertinent explanation pages. Or test your overall knowledge of Atrial Fibrillation with a multiple choice Atrial Fibrillation Quiz.
Other ‘Learn the Heart’ ECG Review Courses
Other ECG courses from Healio review all common ECG findings including normal and abnormal. Each review includes example 12-lead ECGs and, where appropriate, specific criteria. Of particular interest to Atrial Fibrillation patients may be:
• Atrial Flutter ECG Review
• Premature Atrial Contractions (PACs) ECG Review
• Left Atrial Enlargement (LAE) ECG Review
• Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia (AVNRT) ECG Review
Steve’s Brief Overview: The EKG Signal
If you want just a brief overview of the ECG waveform signal and how to “read” an ECG tracing, go to my report, Understanding the EKG Signal.
Learn to Read Your ECG: My Brief Overview or a Healio.com Training Course
When I developed Atrial Fibrillation, one of my first courses of study was to learn how to read my own Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). If this interests you, too, consider my brief overview of the ECG waveform signal and how to “read” an ECG tracing. Go to my report, Understanding the EKG Signal.
FREE ECG Training Course
For the reader wanting a more extensive understanding of the Electrocardiogram and A-Fib, we offer you a link to LearnTheHeart.com – a FREE online cardiology resource for those seeking to increase their knowledge of ECG tracings.
Start with ECG Basics: I suggest you start with the ‘ECG Basics‘ to analyze each part of the ECG tracing; included are detailed explanations and ECG images of the heart in A-Fib. The tutorial is concise and focused on only what you need to know, yet very thorough — from waves to segments to complexes. Go to LearnTheHeart.com ECG Basics.
VIDEO: Graphic Display of Actual Heart in Atrial Fibrillation
See an ECG waveform of an actual heart in Atrial Fibrillation–how it could look to your doctor. Your ECG may look different, but it will be fast and erratic. (You’ll see the changing heartbeat rate in the lower left.)
Go to video: ECG of Heart in Atrial Fibrillation on Monitor.
New Video: EKG of Actual Heart in Atrial Fibrillation
We’ve added a new video to our Library of Videos & Animations. A graphic display of actual heart in Atrial Fibrillation. How it could look to your doctor on an EKG/ECG monitor; (Your EKG may look different, but will be fast and erratic). Includes display of the changing heartbeat rate in the lower left.
For comparison, we’ve included a graphic comparing the tracing of a heart in normal sinus rhythm vs. a heart in A-Fib.
Share with you family and friends when you talk about your A-Fib. (:59 sec) Go to video->
How to Interpret an ECG Signal
A-Fib is fairly easy to diagnose using EKG. The ECG signal strip is a graphic tracing of the electrical activity of the heart.
An electrocardiogram, ECG (EKG), is a test used to measure the rate and regularity of heartbeats. To learn more, see our article, Understanding the EKG Signal.
Video: EKG of Heart in Atrial Fibrillation on Monitor
Graphic display of actual heart in Atrial Fibrillation. How it could look to your doctor on an EKG/ECG monitor; (Your EKG may look different, but will be fast and erratic). Notice the changing heartbeat rate in the lower left. Compare to normal ECG below.
Share with you family and friends when you talk about your A-Fib. (:59 sec) Posted by jason king, Published on Aug 24, 2017.
Graphic: ECG of Heart in Normal Heart Rhythm and in Atrial Fibrillation
In the case of Atrial Fibrillation, the consistent P waves are replaced by fibrillatory waves, which vary in amplitude, shape, and timing (compare the two illustrations below).
How to Interpret an ECG Signal
An electrocardiogram, ECG (EKG), is a test used to measure the rate and regularity of heartbeats, as well as the size and position of the chambers, the presence of any damage to the heart, and the effects of drugs or devices used to regulate the heart.
The ECG signal strip is a graphic tracing of the electrical activity of the heart. To learn more, see our article, Understanding the EKG Signal.
If you find any errors on this page, email us. Y Last updated: Friday, September 8, 2017
VIDEO: Your Heart’s Ejection Fraction (EF): What You Need to Know
Three short videos about Ejection Fraction with Dr. Robert Fishel
In the following three short videos, cardiac electrophysiologist, Dr. Robert Fishel, discusses the ejection fraction (EF) a measurement of the pumping efficiency of the heart and why cardiac patients should know their EF percentage. (Videos hosted on the Sharecare.com website.)
Video 1: What is the ejection fraction? (:54 sec.)
Dr. Robert Fishel explains that cardiac ejection fraction (EF) refers to the percentage of blood pumped from the heart’s main chamber during each heartbeat, and relays its importance to A-Fib patients.
Video 2: Who should know their ejection fraction (EF)? (:34 sec.)
Measurement of your Ejection Fraction (EF) is an important test for cardiac patients to know. Dr. Robert Fishel explains why A-Fib patients need to know their EF number.
Video 3: How is an ejection fraction measured? (:56 sec.)
Ejection fraction (EF) can be measured by various techniques including an echocardiogram, ventriculogram and other methods.
Dr. Fishel is Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology, JFK Medical Center Atlantis, FL. Dr. Fishel graduated from New York University School of Medicine in 1987 and has been in practice for 30 years. He is board certified in Electrophysiology and Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology.
If you find any errors on this page, email us. Y Last updated: Monday, January 15, 2018
