Cardiac rhythm devices – Pre-AV node ablation

You have atrial fibrillation.

Your doctor has suggested that you receive a pacemaker followed by an AV [atrioventricular] node ablation.

When you have atrial fibrillation, there are many electrical signals coming from the top of your heart.

This means that the number of signals that get down to the bottom of the heart can be irregular and often too fast.

In order to relieve the symptoms related to the fast heart rate, your doctor has opted to ablate the AV node.

The AV node ablation can relieve the symptoms of your heart beating too fast and beating irregularly.

The doctor will put a catheter through a vein in your groin that goes into your heart and applies energy to stop the communication between the top and the bottom.

This means that the top chambers may keep beating fast.

But the fast messages no longer get through to the bottom to give you a fast heart rate, because the communication between the top and the bottom is stopped.

You need the pacemaker to tell the bottom part of the heart to beat.

The pacemaker will not stop the atrial fibrillation in the top of the heart, but the bottom part will be able to beat normally and regularly because of the pacemaker.

Basically, the pacemaker does not stop the atrial fibrillation.

But it may stop how it makes you feel so unwell.

On the day of the procedure, the doctor will meet with you and you can ask any questions that you have.

In about 4 to 6 weeks after the pacemaker, the doctor will talk to you about an AV node ablation.

The pacemaker is just the first step.

Keep in mind that for some people, the pacemaker alone can help diminish symptoms by preventing a heart rate that is too slow, when the rate switches in and out of atrial fibrillation.

After the AV node ablation, the doctor will set the rate of the pacemaker.

If you have been used to a very fast heart rate, the pacemaker may initially be set to 90 beats per minute for your comfort and safety.

It will gradually be adjusted down to a regular resting heart rate of 60 or 70 beats per minute.

Your doctor will schedule frequent follow-ups with you, as needed.

It may take time to feel better because if you are unwell with atrial fibrillation, you may not have been active.

Get back to activity gradually and be patient with yourself. If you have questions about activity, please ask your doctor.

One important thing to remember is that the AV node ablation will allow the pacemaker to control your heart rate.

But it will not stop all those fast signals in the atrium, the top part of your heart, since the ablation does not stop the atrial fibrillation.

The procedure does not get rid of your risk of stroke.

Therefore, you will still need to take the blood thinner that the doctor has prescribed to reduce your risk of stroke.

Other medications used to control your heart rate may be adjusted.

If you have questions, you can ask your heart rhythm device doctor or nurse.