heart problem stuff

[arethinn]

Here's the fancy big word: atrial tachycardia: rapid heartbeat arising from areas of muscle in the atria of the heart. My eyes glaze over trying to read this reference article, but what my dad said the doctor told him was that if beta-blockers or other drugs didn't work, what they do is not implant a defibrillator, but actually kill the "hot spot" of heart muscle that is the source of the bad signals. From the sound of this article I think that's radio frequency catheter ablation. That sounds really spooky to me but apparently it's fairly regular stuff, not some kind of wacky experimental or highly risky thing (except, I suppose, for the normal risks associated with surgery when you're almost 71).

Comments

[adnarel]

Sounds like there's just a misfire somewhere and they're gonna go it and jolt the muscle. They'll either A) just 'kill' the part that's causing all the problems, or B) might just give it a quick shock to see if that sets it back in rhythm-if not, see A. But you're right. It's a pretty standard operation and as long as he's strong and otherwise fairly healthy, he should be OK.

I'll say a prayer, and best of luck. :)

[arethinn]

I wouldn't say he's in great health (high blood pressure, overweight tending to obese, various pains and arthritis...), but he's certainly not frail or often very ill, that kind of thing.

I saw a mention that this condition can be linked to hypoxemia and I wonder if perhaps it could be connected to his obstructive sleep apnea (partly due to deviated septum), which has long gone untreated (like anyone else, you can't force him to do something he doesn't want to do).

[kllara]

-- That was what I did. They can either burn or freeze the problem area into scar tissue, but if the tachycardia is close enough to the AV node they use cold, since heat can put one on a pacemaker if they're not careful. In my case, it was right on the "borderline" where they normally turn to freezing it, but they went ahead and burned it without complications. I was 15 years old and very healthy otherwise, and everything went really well, but I was *sick* afterwards. They gave me some kind of anti-nausea stuff in an IV (we had to ask for it), and I didn't sleep the night after surgery. I'm very sorry for what you guys are going through, especially since I know firsthand how freaky it is. The procedure is fairly safe and everything, but the first 10 or 12 hours afterwards feel like @#&%!.
At least it's a regular thing that most cardiologists are quite prepared to handle. Hopefully the atenolol will do the trick for him.

- liryen

[arethinn]

Thanks for the personal experience. I'll relay it to him if it winds up he has to have that procedure. (If I tell him beforehand it'll just make him anxious :P )

[kllara]

*nods*. My reasons for going through with it were somewhat unusual...I was diagnosed in March 2006, after an attack that lasted more than 16 hours. There are a few techniques for trying to bring the heart rate down naturally, like holding an ice pack to the face, before they resort to the shot (procainomide?) in the ER. I always had to get the shot, though. I took beta blockers and visited an internist for 2+ years between diagnosis and surgery, but wasn't as good about taking the meds as I should have been - when you're 13-14 and you feel great, you "rebel". They also had the annoying side effect of lethargy. So every time I had another attack 'cause I'd skipped them (or possibly because the problem just wasn't through with me until catheter ablation), I ended up on my ass in the ER. My doctor encouraged the surgery from the beginning since I had such a high survival chance and the rest of my life ahead, and in November 2008 I took his advice. He said that if I were 80, he wouldn't be pushing it, but as bad as it was, it nipped the whole thing in the bud. Whereas every little thing could set it off before, from caffeine to exercise to late nights to stress, I could (and can) do everything now. So it was the best option for me.
However, your dad's situation is probably another matter. :) If he doesn't follow my sparkling example, he probably won't have to think about it.

*Sends prayers and good vibes*