According to a new study, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation naturally progresses towards chronic AF at an estimated rate of 15% to 30% over a 1- to 3-year period. I’d like to know what that means exactly. I’ve had paroxysmal afib for 8 years now. It certainly hasn’t progressed to chronic afib. I wonder if it means once afib starts spiraling out of control it goes to chronic at that clip. In other words, you can have paroxysmal afib for 15 years […]
READ MOREYoga for the Management of Atrial Fibrillation?
We’ve talked about the benefits of yoga before, but I wanted to take a moment to share a newer article promoting its benefits. One reason yoga is so beneficial is it’s less intense, less boring, and less painful than many forms of exercise, which makes it easier to stick to. But it’s also been tested extensively for its benefits to heart health. A group of researchers set out to study whether yoga can modify traditional cardiac risk factors. They did […]
READ MORETreating Atrial Fibrillation with Digoxin May Come With Risks
Digoxin is typically used to slow the heart rate in AF patients, but a new study is causing some health professionals to re-evaluate its use. The study revealed that there is an increased risk of hospitalization and death in patients who take digoxin. The new study involved nearly 15,000 adults who were recently diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and had no prior history of heart failure or digoxin use. During the three-year study, more than 4,800 of the patients began taking […]
READ MOREWhen It Comes to Exercising, Moderation is Key
In the past, I’ve talkd about how some doctors suspect that very intense workouts can put you at risk for Afib. That’s why we see Afib episodes in some long distance runners and race horses. Exercise is very good for you, that there’s even more evidence to suggest that taking it slow and steady is the way to go. A study presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2010 showed extended and vigorous exercise, such as running a marathon, might raise […]
READ MOREExercise May Reduce Risk of Afib Among Women
There is a lot of conflicting information about afib and exercise, to be honest. We’ve seen some studies, for example, which indicate that heavy athletic exercise can be a contributing factor for the disease. However, this article says that post-menopausal women, at least, can lower their chances of an afib episode by choosing to engage in exercise. 10,000 women were studied. There are some weaknesses in this report. There’s no mention of the type, frequency, duration, or the intensity of […]
READ MORE