If you've just been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation AF , you've probably got a lot of questions. You may be wondering about the severity of your condition and your prognosis. It's normal to experience a range of emotions at this time including uncertainty, fear, anxiety and low mood.
The good news is that although AF is a long-term condition, if managed correctly, you can continue to lead a long and active life. There are a number of steps you can take that will help you manage your condition, lower your risk of stroke and relieve any worries you may have.
These include:. Research has shown that people who have a good understanding of their AF report fewer symptoms, feel more in control of their condition and feel less distressed by it. First experiences of atrial fibrillation AF differ greatly. Some people have no obvious symptoms and their AF is picked up during a routine visit to their doctor or nurse.
For others, their first AF episode can be a dramatic, frightening event for both them and their families. Whatever your experience, you are likely to face a period of emotional adjustment following your diagnosis, as you learn about your condition and consider what it might mean for your future.
One of the major concerns for people with AF is their increased risk of stroke. You are five times more likely to have a stroke if you've been diagnosed with AF even if you don't have AF symptoms, or rarely have an AF episode.
However taking your medication reduces this risk significantly. Health psychologist Miriam Wood talks about the things you can do to build your confidence in living with AF. It's a good idea to make sure you understand the medication you've been prescribed. You can read more on our diagnosis and treatments page.
We've also got some great tips on ways to manage your medication easily and safely. If you have paroxysmal intermittent AF you may also be wondering when your next AF episode will occur. To help you identify any possible triggers , it may be helpful to record any attacks and what you were doing leading up to them.
You can also find out more about treatments that help manage your atrial fibrillation. Remember if you've just been diagnosed with AF, you're not alone. Your condition affects more than 80, other kiwis. Sometimes hearing from others can be a good way to relieve some of your worries and find out more about what it's like to live with.
Visit our Journeys page to hear from others with atrial fibrillation or watch Nikki's story below. As well as starting your treatment plan, making some changes to your lifestyle can help improve your health, manage your AF and lower your risk of complications, such as stroke or heart failure.
Setting goals is a good way to help you achieve the lifestyle changes you want to make. It's important to make sure that your goals are realistic and achievable. You're more likely to succeed if you:. You can find out more about how to set realistic achievable goals on our goal-setting page. It's likely your AF diagnosis will affect those close to you. It's normal for family members and other loved ones to feel scared or anxious about your diagnosis.
Often AF has no obvious, visible signs making it hard for those around you to understand what you are going through. This can lead to frustration and resentment. Having open and honest conversations can lower your stress and encourage the closeness and emotional support that you need. No one, including children, should be excluded from these conversations. Children can often blame themselves when their parents become unwell, so it is important to explain to them what has happened and why it has happened.
You can find some suggested questions to discuss with your doctor or nurse on our diagnosis and treatments page. Sometimes AF can run in families. This type of AF is called familial atrial fibrillation. Although genetics aren't always the cause of AF, the research shows your family is at greater risk of getting AF if you've been diagnosed with it.
If you are worried about this, have a chat to adult children and close relatives about the early symptoms you experienced. You could encourage them to talk with their doctor about their risk of AF. Intimacy and sexual relationships are often a big concern for people following an AF diagnosis. A study found that a third of people diagnosed with AF avoided sex because they were worried that it would trigger heart palpitations.
It is also common for the partners of people with AF to worry that sex might be bad for their loved one's health.
If a blood clot in the left upper chamber left atrium breaks free from the heart area, it can travel to the brain and cause a stroke. The risk of stroke from atrial fibrillation increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase your risk of a stroke due to A-fib , including:.
Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation. Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation. Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:.
Atrial fibrillation care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Atrial fibrillation Open pop-up dialog box Close.
Atrial fibrillation In a typical heart rhythm, a tiny cluster of cells at the sinus node sends out an electrical signal sinus node impulse. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Atrial fibrillation. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Accessed July 6, Zipes DP, et al. Catheter ablation: Technical aspects. Elsevier; Accessed Feb. Ferri FF. Atrial fibrillation. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Accessed July 12, Petryszyn P, et al.
Effectiveness of screening for atrial fibrillation and its determinants. A meta-analysis. PLoS One. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lifestyle Changes for Managing Atrial Fibrillation In addition to receiving medical care, you can do your part to help manage Afib by making the changes to your lifestyle that can help ensure good heart health. Eating a healthy diet : A heart-healthy diet is rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. It is limited in salt and solid fats.
Your healthcare team may suggest working with a dietician or nutritionist to develop an eating plan. You can use the resources on this website to help you get off to a good start.
Get to a healthy weight and stay there : People who are overweight or obese are greater risk for many heart-related problems.
Your medical team can help determine what weight to strive for and help you develop a plan for reaching it. Include physical activity in every day: Getting regular exercise is one of the keys to heart health. Most doctors recommend incorporating more movement into daily life, such as taking the steps rather than an elevator or escalator. Be sure to check with your doctor before embarking on any exercise plan. Quit smoking : Tobacco use is one of the leading causes of heart health problems.
You can learn more about quitting smoking on this website. Your healthcare team is a great resource you can use to help you succeed. Talk with your doctors and nurses about quitting! Keep blood pressure and cholesterol in check : High blood pressure and cholesterol lipids buildup are silent threats to the heart. Over time, these conditions can lead to heart attack , stroke , peripheral artery disease and other forms of cardiovascular disease.
Learn more about high blood pressure here. For information about cholesterol, click here. Enjoy alcohol and caffeine in moderation or eliminate them entirely : Too much alcohol or caffeine can spell trouble for the heart, particularly when used in excess. Medications for Atrial Fibrillation Treatment for atrial fibrillation has two goals: stroke prevention and control of Afib symptoms. The blood-thinning medications used to help prevent the formation of blood clots include the following Warfarin Coumadin is perhaps the best-known of all blood thinners; however, it does have its drawbacks, including the risk of severe bleeding.
Regular blood tests are necessary to monitor the way you are responding to the medication. Click here to learn more about warfarin. Dabigatran Pradaxa does not require a blood test. However, it is a shorter-acting medication.
This means it does not stay in the bloodstream as long as warfarin. Find more information about dabigatran here. Rivaroxaban Xarelto is taken once daily and does not require a regular blood test. Click here to learn more about rivaroxaban. Apixaban Eliquis has proven very effective at reducing the risk of stroke. Read more about apixaban here. Beta blockers are a class of medications that are commonly used for heart rate control.
These medications block some of the effects of adrenaline, which tends to make the heart beat faster. Metoprolol is an example of a commonly used beta blocker. Calcium channel blockers are another frequently used medication for heart rate control. Diltiazem is an example of a calcium channel blocker. These drugs affect a channel in the cells of the heart that controls the flow of calcium in and out of these cells. Blocking the transport of calcium through these channels slows the rate of the heart.
Digoxin is an older drug that is still used to assist in the overall heart rate control for people with Afib. Amiodarone is a medication prescribed to restore the heart to normal sinus rhythm.
Or it may be used to keep the heart in normal rhythm after a procedure called electrical cardioversion , where the heart is shocked into normal rhythm. Sotalol may be used for rhythm management. Propafenone and flecainide are referred to as class IC medications.
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