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AFIB – 4 pillars of treatment
Anticoagulation Rate control Rhythm control Lifestyle (risk factor) modification Anticoagulation Anticoagulation is used to prevent stroke based on the CHA2DS2VaSC score. Patients with a score more than or equal to 2 require anticoagulation based on ACC/AHA/HRS guidelines. In Europe, they anticoagulate for a score of more than or equal to 1. Some common anticoagulants are…
AFIB – unusual symptoms
Here are some common symptoms of AFIB: 50% of patients have no symptoms Fatigue/lack of energy/”feeling old” Palpitations (irregular) (can be fast/slow) Shortness of breath Dizzness Chest pain Initial presentation with stroke Some less common symptoms of AFIB: Frequent urination (due to atrial stretch and release of natriuretic peptide from the atrium). Back pain/abdominal pain/limb…
patient reported AFIB triggers
sleep quality & AFIB
Sleep apnea is strongly associated with atrial fibrillation. However, even after adjusting for sleep apnea, quality of sleep is an independent predictor for atrial fibrillation. Here is the full article: Article summary : The 2 variables that correlated with increased risk of AFIB – time required to fall asleep and frequent nighttime awakening. This decreases…
calerie
CALERIE (Comprehensive Assessment of Long term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy) was a study designed to determine the biological effects of two years of prolonged caloric restriction in humans. 218 adults – randomized to 2 groups. Control group followed their usual diet. Experimental group – goal was to reduce caloric intake by 25% but…
intermittent fasting
Every major religion and culture has promoted fasting for millennia. After a meal, glucose is released in the bloodstream. Cells use it for energy. Insulin is released and any excess glucose that is unused is stored in the fat cells as fat. We need to let the insulin levels come down, in between meals, so…
fiber, butyrate and brain health
High fiber diets decrease risk of obesity, colon cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Can it help your brain too? Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced by bacterial fermentation of fiber in the colon, can improve brain health. Butyrate is also present in butter, however gut bacteria can produce much higher levels…
plant based diet starter kit
Harvard health talks about how to get started on the path to a plant based diet. 21 day kickstart Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Here is a good link to motivate you to start your whole food plant based diet.
red meat = tmao = AFIB
Is this statement inflammatory? 🙂 Red meat, cheese, eggs increase TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide) blood levels : Another study from Nature Medicine. TMAO has also been related to increased risk of AFIB in animal models. A new class of drugs has been developed to help reduce TMAO levels. What a novel concept! Another novel concept –…