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SYNOPSIS

Beat Your A-Fib: The Essential Guide to Finding Your Cure by Steve S. Ryan, PhD

Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) seen by physicians. Many patients suffering from Atrial Fibrillation have three strikes against them:
  • Their “quality of life” has deteriorated; they are scared or frightened.
  • Many experience side effects from the common drug therapies or simply do not want to live on medication; a cure for their A-Fib hasn’t been discussed.
  • Patient information is often out-of-date, incomplete or biased toward a specific pharmaceutical or treatment; much information about new treatment options is written in the language of scientists and doctors.
The author, Steve S. Ryan, PhD, a former A-Fib patient, addresses all these issues. His book is written for the newly diagnosed patient and any A-Fib patient who doesn't want to wade through medical texts and research journals to understand their disease. ”Beat Your A-Fib” helps patients and their families look beyond the commonly prescribed drug therapies that only manage the disease, but do not cure it.

Beat Your A-Fib: The Essential Guide to Finding Your Cure offers:
  • Unbiased, up-to-date information and best practices
  • Medical terms and concepts translated into everyday language
  • Non-drug treatment options including Cardioversion, RF catheter ablation, Pulmonary Vein Isolation, Cryoballoon, Cox-Maze and Mini-Maze surgeries, and  AV Node Ablation with Pacemaker
  • Research-based content with a bibliography of over 150 medical references
  • ‘Lessons learned’ from A-Fib patients now enjoying lives free of the burden of A-Fib
  • Recommended Resources and Website Links
  • Patient tools to become their own best healthcare advocate
This unique book helps patients research their best treatment options, steps through how to find the right doctor for their type of A-Fib and treatment goals, gives patients hope and empowers them to develop a plan for finding their A-Fib cure or best outcome.

Endorsements:   Dr. Walter Kerwin, MD, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, California, wrote the Foreword for the book. Dr. Steven C. Hao, MD, of California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, California, penned the Introduction. Beat Your A-Fib has attracted endorsements by leading cardiologists and electrophysiologists, as well as current and former A-Fib patients. (Endorsements are available online at www.BeatYourA-Fib.com)

Dr. Steve Ryan, PhD , is a noted healthcare educator and advocate for patients with Atrial Fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm). He is editor of Atrial Fibrillation: Resources for Patients (www.A-Fib.com) and author of the new book, Beat Your A-Fib: The Essential Guide to Finding Your Cure. For more information about the author see Steve S. Ryan, PhD at LinkedIn, and Steve S. Ryan on Facebook.

Availability: "Beat Your A-Fib: The Essential Guide to Finding Your Cure" by Steve S. Ryan, PhD, is available in both digital format ($24.95) and print ($32.95) from the author’s website www.BeatYourA-Fib.com and from leading online book sellers.

Journalists, reviewers, bloggers and educators: You have our permission to post any of our informational documents, in whole or in part, as well as our photos and graphics on your website, blog, or in your print publication. We do ask that you include our website address and/or a link back to the Beat Your A-Fib website (www.BeatYourA-Fib.com).


TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD:  Dr. Walter Kerwin, MD

INTRODUCTION: Dr. Steven C. Hao, MD

PREFACE:  Dr. Steve S. Ryan, PhD

YOUR QUICK START GUIDE

         •        Is This Book For You?              
          •        Why Should You Read This Book Anyway?
         •        My Journey to a Cure             
          •        How to Use This Book
         •        Benefits of Reading a Book in .PDF format      
          •        To Print or Not to Print          

PART I: Introduction to Atrial Fibrillation

CHAPTER 1: Overview of Atrial Fibrillation

CHAPTER 2:  How Did I Get A-Fib?    

CHAPTER 3: FAQs About Life with A Fib

PART II: Treatments for Atrial Fibrillation

CHAPTER 4: Diagnostic Testing for A-Fib
         •        Blood Tests
         •        Electrocardiography (ECG or EKG)    
         •        Holter and Event Monitors  
         •        Exercise Stress Test                
         •        Tilt-Table Test            
         •        Electrophysiology Study        
         •        Imaging Technologies
CHAPTER 5: Mineral Deficiencies
         •        Testing for Deficiencies         
         •        Magnesium                
         •        Danger of Too Much Calcium              
         •        Potassium   
         •        Questions You Should Ask   
CHAPTER 6: Medicines (Drug Therapies)       
         •         Drug Therapy Strategies       
         •         Blood Thinners          
         •         Alternative to Blood Thinners             
         •         Rate Control Medications     
         •         Rhythm Control Medications (antiarrhythmics)          
         •         Questions You Should Ask   
CHAPTER 7: Procedures and Surgeries           
         •         Cardioversion            
         •         Pulmonary Vein Isolation (PVI)          
         •         AV Node Ablation with Pacemaker  
         •         Maze Surgeries         
         •         Pacemakers and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs)
CHAPTER 8: FAQs About A-Fib Treatments

PART III: Mapping Your Plan to a Cure

CHAPTER 9: “Which Is the Best A-Fib Treatment Plan For Me?”

CHAPTER 10: Finding the Doctor for You

CHAPTER 11: Personal Stories of Hope, Success and Lessons Learned

CHAPTER 12: Your Journey to a Cure              

PART IV: Additional Resources

APPENDIX A:  Glossary of Medical Terms     

APPENDIX B: Recommended Resources & Website Links
         •         Discussion Groups, Forums, and Message Boards
         •         Information Services              
         •         Informational Websites        
         •         Instructional Audios and Videos        
         •         Online Tools               
         •         Reference Books and Reports

APPENDIX C: Finding my A Fib Cure by Steve S. Ryan

PART V: Afterword

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS        

ABOUT THE AUTHORS           

BIBLIOGRAPHY
 
ENDNOTES

Journalists, reviewers, bloggers and educators: You have our permission to post any of our informational documents, in whole or in part, as well as our photos and graphics on your website, blog, or in your print publication. We do ask that you include our website address and/or a link back to the Beat Your A-Fib website (www.BeatYourA-Fib.com).


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