Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial Fibrillation
RESOURCES FOR PATIENTS

A-Fib.com Search---In the box below type the topic you are interested in and hit the "Search" button.

Links

LINKS Graphic of Surfer and Monitor
The following Web sites may be of help to you in further research of A-Fib.

http://www.HRSonline.org The Heart Rhythm Society for information on A-Fib and for help in finding A-Fib doctors

http://patients.uptodate.com/topic.asp?file=hrt_dis/4882 Review of over 350 journals to update new research findings on A-Fib. Very comprehensive and up-to-date.

http://www.AFAnswers.com St. Jude Medical information about A-Fib including diagnosis and treatment. See also http://www.heartlibrary.com/
heart-library-atrial-fibrillation.aspx?flashmov=atrial-fibrillation&currPage=AC for a video on A-Fib.

http://www.affacts.org the Web site of the Atrial Fibrillation Foundation

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AFIBsupport a support group for patients and others interested in A-Fib

http://www.afibbers.org/bulletin.htm a Bulletin Board for people who have Lone Atrial Fibrillation

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Cardio/WWWboard.html The Heart Forum: for questions and support regarding heart issues, including A-Fib. Questions are answered by doctors from the Cleveland Clinic

http://www.medscape.com/resource/atrialfibrillation Excellent articles, research, and expert medical opinions on A-Fib.

http://www.americanheart.org The American Heart Association Web site for heart disease information.

http://www.clevelandclinic.org/heartcenter/pub/
atrial_fibrillation/afib.htm Basics of A-Fib by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

http://www.chrsonline.ca/patients/index.htm Canadian Heart Rhythm Society describes and illustrates heart rhythm problems including A-Fib.

http://www.cardiology.med.ucla.edu/arrhythmia/ UCLA's Cardiac Arrhythmia Center's site shows Pulmonary Vein Ablation procedures.

http://www.AF-Ablation.org The web site of Dr. Carlo Pappone's Milan medical center.

http://www.afibcenter.org General info on A-Fib from the Un. of Virginia Atrial Fibrillation Center.

http://www.heartcc.com/AFib.htm Very clear explanation of A-Fib and the Pulmonary Vein Ablation procedure at the Heart Care Centers of Illinois.

http://www.arrhythmiaalliance.org.uk Well written general info on heart arrhythmias and A-Fib from the UK. See http://www.stars.org.uk/arrythmiaalliance/documents/
patientInfo/AF_Booklet.pdf for the booklet on A-Fib.

http://www.afibsurgery.org Describes New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia Un. surgical A-Fib program.

http://www.af-ideas.com/Choosing treatment for atrial fibrillation.htm Good analysis of the surgical options to cure A-Fib, and what doctors and/or centers perform them.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/A-fibcures/ Forum on the Maze and Mini-Maze operations.

http://www.or-live.com/healthalliance/1217/ Shows and discusses the Wolf Mini Maze operation from the University of Cincinnati.

http://www.hcma-heart.org HCMA---the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association for the heart disorder HCM. 25-30 percent of those with the genetic condition HCM experience Atrial Fibrillation sometime during their lives.

http://www.lammd.com/A3R_brief_in_doc_format/
lone_atrial_fib.cfm#LAFPreventionProtocol
11 strategies to prevent Lone Atrial Fibrillation by Dr. Lam.

http://www.londonafcentre.co.uk the London Atrial Fibrillation Centre site (where Tony Blair was treated). Good explanations and graphics of A-Fib.

http://www.healthatoz.com Health A to Z---the health search engine.

http://www.healthfinder.gov The federally sponsored health site for general medical research.

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/health/main204.shtml HealthWatch the CBS commercial health site.

http://www.heartrhythmcenter.com Good technical description and videos of a PVA(I) and a Catheter Maze procedure (I couldn't get the A-Fib videos to run).

http://www.nlm.nih.gov Medline to search the top medical journals. See also: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/arrhythmia.html, the MedlinePlus site which accumulates information on A-Fib from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

http://www.polar.fi/polar/channels/eng/index.html then hit the "Product Finder" screen. The Polar Heart Rate Monitors help you monitor your heart rate while exercising and/or while in A-Fib. Features women's sports bras.

http://www.vagalafibinfo.fsnet.co.uk If your A-Fib occurs mostly at night, after meals and/or when you're relaxing (This site seems to have disappeared from the Internet as of October, 2006).

http://clinicaltrials.gov A service provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) listing current federally funded and privately supported clinical trials.

http://centerwatch.com Center Watch is an information source for patients interested in participating in current clinical trial.

http://www.webmd.com The WebMD Health Site for health information and to find an A-Fib doctor.

A WORD OF CAUTION REGARDING WEB SITES WITH A-FIB INFORMATION:
Some web sites for A-Fib patients may be biased toward a particular technique or approach, often because of financial, political, or other ties to medical devices manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, doctors, or other organizations. The author recommends, when searching the Internet for info on A-Fib, you ask yourself, "Who is paying for this web site, and what is their agenda?"
(The author of A-Fib.com strives to offer unbiased info on all A-Fib treatments, but admits to enthusiasm for the catheter ablation procedure (PVA[I]). He was cured of his A-Fib in 1998 by at PVA(I) procedure in Bordeaux, France. However, he has no financial ties, receives no remuneration or grants, and has no affiliation with anyone or any organization.)

(Last updated 9/4/08)

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About A-Fib.com: A-Fib.com was created by Steve S. Ryan to provide patients with unbiased A-Fib-related information in a format the average person can understand. His wife, Patti, edits A-Fib.com's content to make it readable by the lay (non-medical) person and relevant to patients. Steve is not a medical doctor (though he did earn a Ph.D. from Ohio State University).
    After three failed ablations in 1997, Steve locked himself in a medical library armed with a medical dictionary and read everything he could find about A-Fib. He tediously waded through the medical jargon doctors and researchers use, and emerged from the library with an understanding of A-Fib and a plan of action.
    Steve was cured of his A-Fib in 1998 by a Pulmonary Vein Ablation (Isolation) procedure. (Read about his story in the PersonalExperiences section of A-Fib.com.) After his cure, Steve felt compelled to write A-Fib.com in order to spare other patients the difficulty he had in finding understandable information about A-Fib.
    A-Fib.com is deliberately not affiliated with any medical school, company, doctor or other organization. It does not accept advertising.
    Though inclined toward Pulmonary Vein Ablation as a cure for A-Fib, Steve tries to maintain an open mind and be free of any conflict of interest. He tries to not only report on recent A-Fib research, but also draw conclusions and make recommendations for A-Fib patients.

    Copyright © A-Fib. com, Inc., 2002. LifeART image © copyright Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved, 2002. Clipart from Microsoft Clipart Gallery. A-Fib.com was incorporated as a non-profit A-Fib, Inc May 9, 2007.
    Last updated February 14, 2009. Optimal viewing at IE5+ or NS6+ at minimum 800 X 600 resolution. COPPA compliant.
    Disclaimer: the authors of this Web site are not medical doctors and are not affiliated with any medical school or organization. The information on this site is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Nothing contained in this service is intended to be for medical diagnosis or treatment.