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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

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Is An Ablation Required While ECG Is Normal And There Are No Spikes In P-wave Segment ?

I had atrial fibrillation four years ago, which lead to congestive heart failure. I was taking amlodipine(sp?), digoxin, an metaprolol (200mg). I am now taking just metaprolol (100mg). I feel fine, except with exercise I may get out of breath too soon. My ECG shows no p-wave, somewhat of an irregularity in beat spacing, no spikes in the p-wave segment like there used to be. I had an echocardiogram and my atria are not beating irregularly, in other words they are NOT fibrillating. They have taken me off Pradaxa. But they are recommending an ablation. Do I need this? Will tis help the p-wave? I will see an an ablation specialist in a week.
Sat, 12 Apr 2014
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Cardiologist,  's  Response
Dear patient,

Thanks for the query. If you have not had recurrences of atrial fibrillation in 4 years, and you are in normal sinus rhythm, there would not be much sense into an ablation; on the other hand, if you have had recurrences and your heart failure continues to be caused by fast afib, then ablation may be an alternative.

The ablation does not have to do much with the P wave; the P wave is the electrical reflection of an atria that is happily contracting regularly.


Hope this helps, wish you the best,

Dr Brenes-Salazar MD
Mayo Clinic MN
Cardiology
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Is An Ablation Required While ECG Is Normal And There Are No Spikes In P-wave Segment ?

Dear patient, Thanks for the query. If you have not had recurrences of atrial fibrillation in 4 years, and you are in normal sinus rhythm, there would not be much sense into an ablation; on the other hand, if you have had recurrences and your heart failure continues to be caused by fast afib, then ablation may be an alternative. The ablation does not have to do much with the P wave; the P wave is the electrical reflection of an atria that is happily contracting regularly. Hope this helps, wish you the best, Dr Brenes-Salazar MD Mayo Clinic MN Cardiology