The following afib story was originally a comment left on my site in January 2014. When I read Alice’s comments my heart broke. I have lone atrial fibrillation myself but luckily so far I have only had about one episode per year for the past few years. I couldn’t imagine having constant episodes and being on meds so I totally feel for Alice. I just hope she finds a doctor that can help her. Ironically, I was just in the […]
READ MOREArchives for January 2014
Orthostatic Hypotension Raises Afib Risk
Orthostatic hypotension (or postural hypotension) is a rather long term that simply describes the sudden drop in blood pressure that some people get when they stand up after sitting or lying down. You may have experienced a bout of dizziness or a light head if this has ever happened to you. The condition alone is usually pretty mild and doesn’t need treatment. A new study says that the presence of this condition may raise the risk of afib by as […]
READ MOREThe Race of the Anticoagulants: Which Blood Thinner Is Winning?
There are three major “new” anticoagulants (blood thinners). These are Xarelto, Pradaxa, and Eliquis. They are in a tight race for market share and customer loyalty. Xarelto generated $246 million in sales in the third quarter. Pradaxa generated $102 million in sales for the third quarter. Eliquis generated $41 million in sales in the third quarter. You can read the full story here. These sales figures don’t mention Coumadin (Warfarin) at all, other than to note these drugs as “inconvenient.” […]
READ MOREThe New Anticoagulants Prove More Effective Than Warfarin for Afib
How do the new oral blood thinners stack up to Warfarin, the tried-and-true drug? On the whole, doctors are saying the new drugs offer better outcomes…but more side effects, specifically gastrointestinal bleeding. However, doctors still seem more enthusiastic about the new drugs. Overall, “the new oral anticoagulants show a favorable balance between efficacy and safety compared with warfarin, which is consistent across a wide range of patients with atrial fibrillation known to be at high risk for both ischemic and […]
READ MORE34-Year-Old Successfully Treated His Afib with an Ablation
And now for something uplifting: here is an atrial fibrillation success story. Benjamin Martin is only 34 years old. He decided against using drugs and went for a catheter ablation instead. Now he is no longer suffering with severe symptoms. The success rate of cathetar ablation for younger patients is about 80%. If you’re a younger patient this is a procedure that you might want to look into. There are still some doubts about the procedure’s risks vs. its rewards, […]
READ MORE