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. :)

[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