Interesting.

I agree with your comment on "the AFIB won't kill you."

In many instances, having a stroke is not that far removed from killing an individual. Unfortunately I've seen a few dear friends who have had one of these tragic incidents and it resulted in an end to their lives and quality of life..

As for the study. I'm curious as to the overall age sampling of the study and other details. One would hope/assume that it was well balanced on for both subject groups. I think it's fair to say that with age one's chances of having multiple conditions/factors that can/might contribute to cardiac arrest increase.

Thanks for posting IslandLuvr.

Thanks, islandluvr. Okla Heart Institute is in Tulsa, where I live. They're very reputable. It's my understanding that ablation, etc does not affect my chance of death from a sudden cardiac event - once I've got a-fib, I've got it! Is that your understanding, too?

Before my ablation a bad episode meant hours of severe nausea and problems with breathing, too. I gave up driving for awhile.

Benign is not a word I would use to describe A Fib. How you decide to live with it varies with each individual but whether you choose heart meds or ablation---- both are serious treatments.
Thanks for the post.
D.

This is a bit unsettling, huh?
I think when Drs say it is benign and it won't kill you...they are only talking about the a fib itself. If your heart rate and B/P are extremely high during an episode it puts you at risk of a stroke or your heart going into a different arrythmia that kills you. So, technically, the a fib didn't cause
it. And....you're still dead.
I am just going to try to live as heart healthy as I can.

So...I believe that having a fib does increase the odds for a sudden death event. Just the fact that my heart developed a fib...it makes sense to me that an a fib heart is going to be susceptible to other arrythmias that would cause sudden death.
Then again.....I could get hit by a truck.

Benign is not a word I would use for Afib. Any disease that directly impacts the function of a vital organ seems worthy of a more fitting adjective. Bt definition benign means "not harmful", anyone that's highly symptomatic is certainly feeling harmed. The fear associated alone is quality-of-life-threatening.

Stroke can be catastrophic or fatal so it should be paramount in our treatment. I think that anyone that's experienced a TIA has had as close a look into that nightmare as they care to have. Stating the obvious, but always worth repeating.

The fact of the matter is we are all in risk of sudden cardiac death. Even the healthiest of people can go without warning. Time is life-threatening, all we can do is take the best possible precautions. We need to make sure we are anticoagulated properly, control heart rate and the anxiety and stress associated with this condition. When all of that fails there's ablation, dreaded by some but at least theres a plan B. I believe one day that it will be plan A, just not quite there yet.

Heart disease is rampant in my family. Out of seven boys, only one has escaped the wrath(so far). It has claimed both of my parents and a brother at 45. Not the best hand to be dealt but that's reality and others carry a much heavier cross than us. One of my favorite movie quotes comes from The Shawshank Redemption, "Get busy living', or get busy dying". I chose ablation because I wanted to have a shot at reclaiming some of my life that I lost over 17 years. It took a lot to get me to that point but I feel I've already reached my goal. I did what I could do, going forward I'm not about to let Afib or the possibility of sudden death consume me. I realize that's easier said after a successful ablation but the truth is that when you've lost as much as I have in this fight you reach a point where you just say no more. I lay my trust in God, he's carried me this far.

Sudden cardiac death or heart failure will always be looming, it has been for all animals since the first heart beat. I strive to find quality in life and accept that I am imperfect. My last heart beat will be an exclamation point on a blessed life.

Well said, Steveinnsr. Totally agree.

Well said Steve. Bravo. :)

Yes!!!
Thats IT exactly, Steve. Thank you for putting those feelings into words.

Thanks everyone. I hope you're having a great weekend.

Steve, I know how you feel. Heart disease is rampant on both sides
of my family. I have one aunt that just turned 80 and she has had
numorus stents. She is the last of my father's family to be alive out of
9 children. The two aunts on my moms side have had heart attacks or
stents. My brother had a bypass at 55, he is gone now. My mom and dad passed at 73 of heart attacks, my son was 50 when he passed of
a massive heart attack. so I am doing all I can to fight the afib and take
super good care of my body

But I feel like I am blessed to be is as good a shape as I am. I stay
busy and feel content most of the time. Actually I don't worry so much about the afib now after having it for 3 1/2 years. The first year was
hell, then I adjusted my meds and found out what my triggers are and
have done well since

The best of life to the two of us.