DEAR DR. GOTT:
My husband, age 76, has suddenly developed atrial fibrillation. He had an active life, walking three to four miles five days a week and hunting. Now he can get short of breath while sitting in a chair. If he goes outside to do yard work he gets short of breath within just a few minutes.
He has had two cardioversions (procedures to reduce the pulse rate) but they didn’t help for long. His rhythm remained normal in the hospital but once home he went back to being abnormal. His heartbeat was rapid so he takes warfarin to prevent a stroke. He has his levels monitored every few weeks.
My husband’s heart rate is now at a normal level of 80 but he continues to be short of breath. His heart specialist says he’ll have to live with it. His chiropractor says he had has the same thing for more than 20 years [Read more...]