People who are most successful at managing a long-term health condition such as atrial fibrillation (AF) have a good understanding of their condition as well as the treatment and skills needed to respond to their symptoms on a daily basis.
Some people may continue to experience symptoms despite the best attempts to treat their condition. It is worth planning ahead so that you know how to manage any symptoms.
In this section you will find tips and ideas to help you manage your AF, overcome challenges you might face with AF and helpful hints to make your life easier.
Understanding your symptoms
Symptoms of AF include:
Palpitations (feeling your heartbeat in your chest)
Tiredness or weakness
Difficulty exercising
Dizziness, lightheadedness or feeling faint
Chest pain
Feeling breathless or having difficulty breathing
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions about the symptoms you are experiencing. Keeping a symptom record will help prepare you to answer these. It’s also a helpful way to learn about your condition and what might trigger your episodes of AF. You may like to use the following questions to guide what you note down in your symptom record:
When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
How severe are your symptoms?
What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
Some people find that it takes time to identify the right AF treatment plan. Sharing your symptom record with your healthcare team can help determine the best treatment for you.
Possible triggers
People who have AF often find that their episodes are caused by a specific trigger or triggers. These triggers vary from one person to another.
Understanding your possible triggers can help you to better control your AF and:
Identify when you may be about to have an episode of AF. For some people the unpredictability of AF symptoms can be stressful. Understanding your triggers may give you some clues to when an AF episode will happen.
Take action to avoid or manage your personal trigger(s).
Everyone’s experience of AF is different and triggers for episodes will vary from person to person but may include fatigue, alcohol, stress, anxiety, caffeine, smoking or exercise.
Fatigue
Tiredness and fatigue is a common symptom and trigger for AF. Feeling exhausted can worsen your AF symptoms and affect your general health and wellbeing. An important part of AF management includes taking steps to reduce fatigue and improve sleep. More about fatigue
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol, particularly binge drinking, can trigger or worsen symptoms because alcohol can affect your heart’s electrical signals. Atrial fibrillation also affects your heart’s electrical conduction system. Combining atrial fibrillation with too much alcohol is likely to cause problems. Most people can still enjoy an alcoholic drink if they wish to, but it is important to stay within the recommended guidelines for healthy drinking and avoid binge drinking. For some people with AF it may be best to avoid drinking alcohol, for example:
If you are on medication which interacts with alcohol
If you have an underlying health condition which is made worse by alcohol.
Talk to your doctor about whether drinking alcohol is safe for you. More about alcohol
Stress
The link between stress and AF is yet to be determined. Some people with AF believe that stress is a common trigger for episodes of AF. Being aware of ‘unhelpful’ stressors in your life and taking steps to address these can be beneficial for your AF and for your general health and wellbeing.
Anxiety
Anxiety can worsen your symptoms of AF. The experience of a fast heart rate during an episode of AF can trigger a cycle of anxiety, increased adrenaline, a further raised heartbeat, and more anxiety. Finding ways of managing anxiety is helpful in AF management and could benefit your general health and wellbeing.
Caffeine
There are mixed messages within the research about whether caffeine plays a role in triggering episodes of AF. Some people with AF say that drinking coffee can trigger their AF. If you are not used to consuming food and drinks high in caffeine (coffee, tea, energy drinks) they may affect you more. If you notice a link between having lots of caffeine and your AF symptoms, you should think about reducing your caffeine intake.
Smoking
Nicotine is a cardiac stimulant and can aggravate AF. Smoking is also a known risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Being diagnosed with a health condition such as AF is often a “wake up call” to many. If you are a smoker and would like to quit, there is lots of help available. More about smoking
Exercise
Some people find that being physically active can trigger symptoms of AF. Regular physical activity is hugely beneficial to your health, so don’t let AF stop you from enjoying these benefits. There is a lot that you can do to stay safe while exercising. More about exercise
Your treatment options
Understanding the range of treatment available to you to help manage your AF can be daunting.
The main goals in treating your AF are:
To lower your risk of having a stroke.
To control your symptoms of AF by controlling your heart rate and rhythm.
Shared Decisions about Treatment Plan
Treatment for AF will be personalised for you and it is important that you have your say about your treatment plan. Your plan will be influenced by the type of AF you have, your age, other health conditions and your assessed level of stroke risk, as well as your values and preferences.
There may be several treatment options to choose from. You may need to try a series of different treatments before finding the best management approach for you.
Together with your doctor or nurse, you can weigh the pros and cons of each treatment, compare options and make a decision that is best for you.
Include your family in a conversation about your treatment options too
Planning for your health care visits and asking questions will help you to understand more about your AF and treatment options. View our page with some helpful planning tips for your health care visit
Your medication
How do you feel about taking medication?
AF is a lifelong condition and for many people this will mean taking medication over a lifetime.
As well as taking medication to manage your AF symptoms, you may be prescribed medication (e.g. to lower cholesterol or blood pressure) to lower your risk of stroke and other heart problems.
For many people, one of the biggest challenges of managing AF is getting used to taking medication and coming to terms with taking medication for the rest of their life. It is normal to have concerns and anxieties about this.
People experience AF in different ways. If you don’t have AF symptoms, you may wonder why you need to keep taking medication. In order to continue being symptom-free and to reduce your risk of stroke and other heart problems, it is very important that you continue taking your medication as prescribed. Talk to your doctor before deciding to stop taking your medication.
Top ten tips for managing your medication
1. Ask questions about your medications. We have a list of questions here – but you may have others. Write down the questions you want to ask and take them with you to your next health appointment.
Why am I taking these pills?
Will they be long-term or for a short time only?
Which pills are essential for me to take regularly at the same time each day?
What side effects can I expect and will these go away if I continue taking the pills? Are there any side effects that I should tell you about immediately if I experience them?
Does any food interact with my medications: Is there anything I shouldn’t eat or drink?
Are these pills meant to be taken regularly or just as needed?
If I can use these pills when needed, is there a maximum number of tablets or frequency that I should use and when should I let you know if I am using more?
Are there some pills that I can ‘play around’ with the dosing on? i.e. increase/decrease slowly depending on my symptoms. If yes, make sure the doctor writes down a guide (i.e. maximum number/dose, how often to reduce/increase).
2. Learn about your medications and keep a list of them with you. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for a medication chart or card.
3. Take your medication as prescribed or recommended by your doctor. Some medications are best taken at certain times of the day because of the way they work, the way your body responds to them or other medications you might be taking. However, if you are struggling with the times you take your medications, the timing can sometimes be changed. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your options.
4. If you forget to take your tablets at your usual time don’t try to catch up by taking extra tablets next time.
5. Plan ahead so you dont run out - Get your prescription filled in plenty of time.
6. Stopping medication suddenly can be dangerours - Don’t stop taking your medications without consulting a doctor or nurse.
7. Tell your doctor or nurse about any herbal/natural health products or alternative/complementary therapies you take.
8. Keep medications safe and out of reach of children.
9. Never give your medications to someone else.
10. Return unused medicines to the pharmacy.
This information is courtesy of the Health Quality and Safety Commission. www.hqsc.govt.nz.
For more information about medication safety view this pdf - Taking Your Medicine Safely created by the HQSC.
Bad day strategies
You may find that there are days when, for one reason or another, your symptoms feel worse. It helps to plan strategies ahead of time to deal with these symptoms and help get you through the day.
If you experience dizziness:
Find somewhere to sit down
Take slow breaths
Ask someone to get you some water (or always carry a small bottle of water with you
Take as long as you need to feel better
If you are having palpitations:
Find a distraction, maybe try something like listening to music
If you have AF symptoms:
Sit down or lie down when you notice symptoms. Many episodes pass spontaneously.
If you feel exhausted:
Have frozen meals prepared so that you can simply re-heat these.
Enlist family and friends to help you with chores or childcare.
Overcoming problems
Having a health condition like AF can sometimes create challenges and obstacles in everyday life.
Some people find a tool such as a problem solving worksheet useful, as it helps them think through the challenge or problem and make a plan of action on how to deal with it.
You can do this on your own, however it is good to get a family member or someone who lives with you to work through the steps.
Here’s an example of problem solving in action
Step 1: Identify the problem
I am afraid to go out on my own in case I have an episode of AF