Beat Your A-Fib: The Essential Guide to Finding Your Cure
by Steve S. Ryan, PhD
SynopsisAtrial Fibrillation (A-Fib) patients face a daunting challenge. For most, life becomes a series of compromises:
- Quality of life is diminished by fatigue, palpitations, and the constant fear of a stroke.
- Medications often have side effects, don’t work or lose their effectiveness over time.
- Patients are often given out-of-date information or told they just “have to live with it.”
Steve S. Ryan, PhD, creator of A-Fib.com, addresses these issues head-on. As a former A-Fib patient who found his own cure, he understands the medical maze and the frustration of dealing with a complex heart condition. In this guide, he shares the knowledge and resources necessary to navigate the healthcare system and find a permanent cure.
Beat Your A-Fib: The Essential Guide to Finding Your Cure offers:
- Unbiased Information: No ties to pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers or medical practices.
- Medical terms translated: Complex concepts explained in plain, everyday language.
- Non-drug options: Detailed look at curative procedures like catheter ablation and surgery.
- Research-based content: Grounded in the latest medical studies and clinical guidelines.
- ‘Lessons learned’: Real-world insights from patients who have successfully found their cure.
- Recommended Resources: How to find the best doctors, medical centers, and hospitals for A-Fib care.
- Patient tools: Checklists and questions to help you prepare for your doctor visits.
“A must-read for anyone with A-Fib. Dr. Ryan provides the roadmap patients need to take control of their health.”
— Dr. Walter Kerwin, MD
“Invaluable guidance for navigating the complex landscape of modern A-Fib treatments.”
— Dr. Steven C. Hao, MD
Beat Your A-Fib: The Essential Guide to Finding Your Cure
Table of Contents
- Is This Book For You?
- Why Should You Read This Book Anyway?
- My Journey to a Cure
- How to Use This Book
- Chapter 1: Overview of Atrial Fibrillation The most common cardiac arrhythmia seen by doctors today
- Chapter 2: How Did I Get A-Fib Concurrent medical conditions, lifestyle risk factors, genetics, no specific cause
- Chapter 3: FAQs About Life with A-Fib Did I cause my A-Fib, Can I die from it? Carrying Medical ID, Predicting an A-Fib attack
- Chapter 4: Diagnostic Testing The ECG/EKG, blood tests, Echocardiography and event monitors
- Chapter 5: Mineral Deficiencies Imbalances of Magnesium and Potassium, Calcium Levels
- Chapter 6: Medicines (Drug Therapies) Blood thinners/oral anticoagulants, Rate control vs. Rhythm control
- Chapter 7: Procedures and Surgeries Cardioversion, Catheter Ablation, Maze and Mini-Maze Surgeries, and Pacemakers
- Chapter 8: FAQs About A-Fib Treatments Is A-Fib curable? Is there an A-Fib diet? The risk of an Ablation/Maze procedures
- Chapter 9 : “Which is Best A-Fib Treatment for Me?” My A Fib just started; Silent A Fib; Other health problems; Am I too old to be cured?
- Chapter 10: Finding the Doctor for You Researching EPs, Compiling Medical Records, Interview Questions for Doctors
- Chapter 11: Personal Stories of Hope, Courage, and Lessons Learned A Fib patients’ stories to bolster your resolve to find a life free of A-Fib
- Chapter 12: Your Journey to a Cure Consensus of A-Fib Patients’ Advice: How To Find Your A-Fib Cure
- Appendix A: Glossary of Medical Terms
- Appendix B: Recommended Resources and Website Links
- Appendix C: Finding My A-Fib Cure By Steve S. Ryan
- Acknowledgements
- About the Authors
- Bibliography
- Endnotes
- Bonus: Questions for Doctors – Four Worksheets
About the Author
Steve S. Ryan, PhD
Dr. Steve Ryan is a former A-Fib patient and the publisher of A-Fib.com. He earned a PhD in Communications from the University of Southern California and has spent over 20 years researching and writing about Atrial Fibrillation. After achieving a permanent cure for his own A-Fib, he dedicated his life to helping others find their way through the medical maze to a life free of A-Fib.
