Afib, heart beat and pacemaker

uplbet said:

Eight years ago I was diagnosed with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, that was since then treated
by various drugs (not much effective treatments, I must say). Five years ago I was diagnosed with
AV block 1st degree and bradicardia. In 2002, when bradicardia was getting worse, I got a DDDR
pacemaker implanted.

Before PM implantation, I could very easily and immediately get self confirmation of my being
under afib attack from my pulse rate, which got "irregularly irregular" (as doctors say).

Instead, after PM implantation my pulse rate always sounds to me as being steadily regular, even
when I know for sure (from other symptoms, or from ECG and like) that I'm under afib. Matter of
fact, as to heartbeat the only difference between my SR status and my afib status is an increase
in resting rate: 60-65 bpm when in in SR, 85-95 bpm (sometimes 105) in afib. Is that normal?

105 would be tachycardia.

Quoted message said:

How can that be explained?

The pacemaker will eseentially "regularize" your pulse rhythm by preventing "pauses."

Quoted message said:

Thanks and best wishes to all

You are welcome :-)

May you have a blessed 2004.

Humbly,

Andrew

--
Dr. Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD
Board-certified Cardiologist
http:/www.heartmdphd.com/

MD/PhD said:

The pacemaker will eseentially "regularize" your pulse rhythm by preventing "pauses."

I'd suppose that during such "regularization" action my atrial catheter stays off, leaving my atria
free-fibrillating, while my ventricular catheter stays on and cares for that sort of
"regularization". That is to say, my PM is helping me a little (just a little, unfortunatley ...)
even during afib.

Correct?

--
uplbet
(in email reply delete 01234 from the address)

uplbet said:

MD/PhD said:

The pacemaker will eseentially "regularize" your pulse rhythm by preventing "pauses."

I'd suppose that during such "regularization" action my atrial catheter stays off, leaving my
atria free-fibrillating, while my ventricular catheter stays on and cares for that sort of
"regularization". That is to say, my PM is helping me a little (just a little, unfortunatley ...)
even during afib.

Correct?

Yes, if you replace "catheter" with "lead."

Humbly,

Andrew

--
Dr. Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD
Board-certified Cardiologist
http:/www.heartmdphd.com/

Hi: While your atrial are fibrillating rapidly, your ventricular response has been decreased perhaps
with medications. This can be done safely with medications. Also your pacer will most probably mode
switch into a non tracking mode so that it will not track your atrial activity in atrial fib. Almost
all pacemakers have this function today.