Hi there,
Thank you for writing in.
I am a qualified cardiologist.
I read your mail with diligence.
WIth all details provided I assume that your mother does not have mitral valve disease and what you have is lone atrial fibrillation for long duration. Echocardiography must have been done sometime in past 5 years and that would have ruled in favor of rate control. Acute atrial fibrillation(AF) we go in for rhythm control. However strategy of rate control (if ventricular rate is high to control it with long term therapy with- prescription drugs verapamil or diltiazem- to a strategy of rhythm control (cardioversion to sinus rhythm plus drugs to maintain sinus rhythm) has found no differences in stroke. Clinically silent recurrences of AF in the rhythm-control group are theorized to be responsible for the increased rates of thromboembolic events in this group. This underscores the importance of anticoagulation in both rhythm-control and rate-control patients. One of the major management decisions in AF (and atrial flutter) is determining the risk of stroke and appropriate anticoagulation regimen for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients. For each anticoagulant, the benefit in terms of stroke reduction must be weighed against the risk of serious bleeding. Overall, approximately 15-25% of all strokes in the United States (75,000/y) can be attributed to AF. Known risk factors for stroke in patients with AF include male sex, valvular heart disease (rheumatic valvular disease), heart failure, hypertension, and diabetes. Additional risk factors, such as advanced age and prior history of stroke, diabetes, and hypertension, place patients with preexisting AF at even higher risk for further comorbidities such as stroke Risk Factors for stroke:
1.Prior stroke or TIA
2.History of hypertension
3.Heart failure and/or reduced left ventricular function
4.Advanced age5.Diabetes
6.Coronary artery diseaseApart from advanced age
I do not find any other risk factor, except age, in you.
Most clinicians agree that the risk-benefit ratio of warfarin therapy in low-risk patients with AF is not advantageous. Warfarin therapy has, however, been shown to be beneficial in higher-risk patients with AF. A target international normalized ratio (INR) of 2-3 is traditionally used, as this limits the risk of hemorrhage while providing protection against thrombus formation.The appropriate treatment regimen for patients with AF at intermediate risk is controversial. In this population, the clinician should assess risk factors for thromboembolic disease, patient preference, risk of bleeding, risk of falls or trauma, and likelihood of medication adherence. Warfarin is also superior to clopidogrel or a combination of clopidogrel and aspirin in the prevention of embolic events in higher-risk patients.
So in conclusion you need:
1. If her ventricular rate is high a prescription drug diltiazem or verapamil for rate control
2. She falls in low risk of thromboembolism as per the 5 available data a combination of low dose enteric coated aspirin 75 mg with clopidogrel 75 mg once day after meals is all you need. As all are prescription drugs, a doctor need to see you and examine before prescribing, he may want to do an EKG, Holter and or echocardiogrpahy. I am sure everything would have been done by him.

Then in my considered opinion, what there is no additional risk of sitting in hopping flight of 5 hours in a civilian aircraft. Her risk is same as that of a lady of her age with same diagnosis sitting at home for 5 hours. Additional precautions would be that she remains hydrated and carry medicines in handbag.

I hope the answer is useful,


if you have further query you are welcome to ask, I shall answer asap.With Best Wishes.



With Best wishes.

Dr Anil Grover,
Cardiologist
M.B.;B.S, M.D. (Internal Medicine) D.M.(Cardiology)
http://www/ WWW.WWWW.WW

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