Atrial Fibrillation

(but in Haiku form)

etiology

50% of the time:

idiopathic.


Other causes are:

heart, pulm, thyroid, systemic

and “holiday heart”.


Some signs can include:

palps, syncope, thrombi, and

irreg. irreg. pulse.


EKG: fast rate

Up to 175

Irreg. irreg, too


Oops, forgot: no P’s

…Great, now I’m stuck in a verse

…Doo dee doo dee doo…


Ahem! Now, treatment:

Unstable: cardiovert

Stable: take your time.


First, calm ventricles

Rate control with Beta block-

-er, C.A. blocker.


Second, thin the blood.

This is based on CHAD-2 score.

May be chronic course.


If this doesn’t work,

And Afib won’t go away,

Third: zap the sucker.


(For all you purists,

the term is “cardiovert”

the result’s the same)


If more than 2 days

Of Afib, or unknown time,

Give warfarin FIRST,


3 weeks BEFORE zap,

goal INR 2 to 3.

Or, just TEE.


Then, give one more month

of some warfarin, or else….

They clot/die/sue you


If Afib STILL there,

you have failed as a doctor

Just kidding! Still hope!


Now think ABLATION:

Kill heart circuitry with FIRE!!

…Not work? Miller time


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comments

  1. That was brilliant! I love it!

    Comment by Alexis — February 9, 2010 @ 10:53 am
  2. Jon,
    I plan to pass this one on to a cardiologist friend!!!

    Comment by susan nakhleh — February 9, 2010 @ 1:50 pm
  3. Your poetic skill
    Has honored your ancestors.
    Tuition worth it!?

    Comment by Gilbert Snider — February 10, 2010 @ 11:20 am
  4. O-M-G! Love this!
    Maybe instead of neuro –
    Cardiologist?

    Comment by Joyce — February 11, 2010 @ 10:08 pm
  5. Thanx Jon,

    I’m fibrillating
    with delight and joy
    at my brother’s boy.

    Don’t forget Dig
    to make heart rate slow
    if BP is low.

    Regards, Uncle Joel

    Comment by Uncle Joel — February 11, 2010 @ 10:25 pm

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