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Suggest Treatment For Atrial Fibrillation And Weight Loss After Discontinuing Blood Thinners

Posted on Thu, 6 Aug 2015

Question: I have a question. my husband was seeing a cardiologist for afib. he is 39, he is 6'2 and he originally weighed 336. he was put on pradaxa & atenolol. he now weighs 297. he lost a lot of weight and stopped taking the blood thinner and the atentolol. he just started to take a baby aspirin a day. do u think he should do this? I am not sure he is still in afib. he may not be and doesn't see the cardiologist until the end of August. I just want to make sure he is not going to be at risk for stroke/heart attack. he is still taking aspirin a day. Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Rajesh Teli (58 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
he must continue pradaxa and atenolol

Detailed Answer:
Hello,Madam,
I am Dr.Rajesh Teli,MD
I have gone through your query.Thanks for using HCM.

Atrial fibrillation has three main issues
1.Irregularity of heart beats .
2.Fast heart beats
3.Tendency for clot formation in left atrium ,which can dislodge from heart and cause stroke/heart attack.
Many a times there is underlying cause of atrial fibrillation e.g.valvular heart disease.In case of your husband I presume that it is Lone fibrillation (without any cause).
Now atenolol has been given to control the heart rate,it does not control irregularity and does not prevent clot formation.
Pradaxa is medicine which prevents clot formation and prevents stroke. Its substitute with baby aspirin is not enough to offer him this protection. So he must continue pradaxa.
I request to discuss with your treating doctor when you visit him next time regarding any scope for electric cardioversion to abolish AF and to make heart beats regular? This will eventually eliminate need for pradaxa.
You should also try to know present status by ECG and Echocardiogram.
So please ask your husband to restart medicines until you have information on present status of AF.
I would be glad to guide you further once i get your feed back.

My best wishes
Dr.Rajesh Teli,MD

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Rajesh Teli (9 minutes later)

we are going to talk about the albation when he loses more weight hoping to get rid of the a fib.

Answered by Dr. Rajesh Teli (49 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
That is definitely best option

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Ablation is certainly most rewarding procedure for AF. What I suggested was single attempt to restore sinus rhythm i.e.regularise heart beat by direct current shock. Sometimes it reverts to normal or in majority of cases it is temporary. So ablation is best. Till then it is important to continue with medicines

My best wishes
Dr.Teli,MD

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Rajesh Teli (20 minutes later)

he did have that twice., but it went back to afib.

Answered by Dr. Rajesh Teli (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Ablation is now best solution

Detailed Answer:
hello,in that case it is better to continue both medicines till Ablation is done.I am sure he will respond well and will be free from AF.Your EP will explain about the data and result of procedure .
My best wishes
Dr.Teli.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Rajesh Teli (13 minutes later)

Thank you!! :)

Answered by Dr. Rajesh Teli (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Best of luck

Detailed Answer:
he will surely respond well.
My best wishes
Dr.Teli.

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E