6 atrial fibrillation triggers

@dennis47‍ , @laney365‍ , @nineteen_gale‍ , @robjmckinney‍ , @CazzaJane42‍ 

Don't hesitate to share your own experience on this subject.

Thank you for a very informative share Margarita. I did not associate AF with any triggers before. But having read your information, Stress is the number 1 trigger for me. having said that, some times, I have been very relaxed, reading in bed before going to sleep, and it was only on doing my Blood pressure as a routine, before going to sleep, that I notice my pulse rate to be as high as 180. I have always been asymptomatic. If I didn't check my BP as a routine, I would never know that I had, or am having an attack. I don't have any palpitations or chest pain or shortness of breath. Its only whilst checking my BP x 4 a day, that I notice my pulse rate between 160 to 199. My consultant thinks that I have Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation as it only occurs rarely,hence the reason I am having a Recordable Loop implanted next week, and it will be read every couple of months or so to monitor the activity of my heart. If I didn't routinely check my BP I would have never known that I have AF. My husband has a diagnosed AF and being a nurse, I routinely check his BP 4 times a day. Both of us have High Blood Pressure, so I check our BP every day on regular basis. But as yet, I have never had any symptoms when ever I had an attack of AF. The loop recording will perhaps reveal it all, so i will watch this space.

nineteen_gale

I have triggers all the time, heat (as in temperature) and exercise or anything else that makes your heart beat faster. It is managed quite well with Beta-blockers, but will have to have another ablation at some point.

I am not on beta blockers or any medication for it other than Ramipril for high blood pressure. My attacks are very rare. I do feel extreme heat in my head at times, and that is a trigger that my BP is high, but for AF i have none. Having this recordable  Loop implanted on Wed to monitor the activity of the heart.

Reading all this information I think I can see that there are degrees of AF - am I correct?  I do get tired more easily than I used to but put this down to my age (75). I have never been one to sweat much but find I do now, is that another symptom.  I take a BP tablet once a day now, plus a statin, plus an anti-coagulant. I try not to get hung up on, for example, my BP so I am loth to do home checks, am I wrong?

I too take BP tablet once a day and Statin. I always used to feel the cold, but lately, I do sweat, which is unusual for me, and also feel very hot. I don't think it is AF related, as I only get AF attacks very rarely. For me is BP related. Being a Retired nurse, and monitoring my husband's AF, I do regular checks on our BP four times a day. It gives me the indication of how the treatment is working. If I am too high all the time, then GP reduces the dose or vice versa if i am too low most of the time. To me, home monitoring is useful because of my medical back ground.

nineteen_gale

Good advice from a former nurse, thank you. I don't even know if I get AF attacks; is sweating more a symptom?  I might look into buying a BP monitor though.

Have you been actually diagnosed as having AF by medics CazzaJane? or are you presuming it. i am asking because you say that "I don't even know if I am having an AF attack", or like me, you are asymptomatic when you have an attack. Then how do you know that you are having an attack? Do you check your pulse? Do you feel your heart beating too fast as in racing? I would b interested to know if you are medically diagnosed as having AF. I would advise you not to look into it too much and get hung up about it if you are not medically diagnosed as having AF.

nineteen_gale

Yes, medically diagnosed. I had a TIA while I was asleep and woke up with a wonky face etc. I rang 111 who sent an ambulance and I was taken to A&E. After lots of tests I was told I had high cholesterol and an irregular heartbeat, no mention of AF until I went to my GP who said "oh yes, you have AF", I also now have high blood pressure which was a complete surprise to me as it has always been completely normal in the past.  I don't check my pulse but I do sometimes feel as if my heart is beating fast - again I usually put that down to my age. 

Thank you for letting me know CazzaJane42. As you age, the blood pressure does tend to go up and so does the cholesterol if you don't exercise regularly and eat healthy. Some times the Cholesterol rise is due to family history too. I have the same as you, high BP and raised Cholesterol Mine is certainly due to family history. My Dad had it and so did his mother and his youngest sister. So even though I eat healthy, no sugar salt or alcohol nor smoke and I have lots of fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and swim too, I still suffer from High BP and raised Cholesterol. it would be a good idea to buy a BP machine and check your BP regularly at home. It will give your GP early indication of anything developing and thus the opportunity to commence early treatment. I don't suffer from any symptoms of AF apart from fainting spells three times in 4 years. If I didn't do my regular BP check at home, I wouldn't have known that I have AF, I wouldn't be investigated or treated and it could turn out to be fatal. So yes, I think home monitoring is a good idea and keep a record of the checks with the date, time, BP and pulse. Then when you see abnormal readings, you can talk to your GP about it so that something can be done about it sooner rather than when its too late.

Good luck.

nineteen_gale