Tips for Living With Atrial Fibrillation (Afib)

By Andrea M. Russo, MD

Atrial fibrillation (Afib) affects about 2.2 million people in the United States and is the most common type of irregular heartbeat. Its frequency increases with age. The electrical impulses in the heart that trigger your heartbeat normally stimulate the heart in an orderly fashion. If you have Afib, those electrical impulses work irregularly in the atria, the upper chambers of the heart. When this happens, impulses begin firing simultaneously and compete for a chance to travel through the heart. This results in a very rapid and disorganized heartbeat.

A normal heart rate or rhythm is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. For a person with Afib, that range in the upper chambers may increase to 300 to 600 beats per minute. Luckily, the heart can regulate or slow the impulses that travel from the upper chambers to the lower chambers of the heart, resulting in a heart rate of approximately 150 beats per minute. However, often this is enough to cause discomfort and create problems for an individual. A person experiencing Afib will often feel sudden pounding, racing or fluttering in the chest, a lack of energy, dizziness or light-headedness, and sometimes shortness of breath or chest discomfort. Afib can decrease the heart’s ability to pump by as much as 25 percent.

Atrial fibrillation is often brought on by several conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, chronic lung disease, cardiomyopathy or blood clots in the lungs. However, in at least 10 percent of individuals with Afib, there are no underlying signs of heart disease. In these people, Afib may be triggered by excessive drinking, caffeine use, metabolic imbalances, severe infections, stress or certain drugs or medications. In some cases, no cause can be found at all.

For some people, Afib causes few problems and a person can live with it for many years. However, because the heart does not pump as efficiently as it should, Afib can increase the chances of blood clotting. If a blood clot is pumped out of the heart, it can travel to the brain and cause a stroke. The likelihood of a stroke in someone with Afib is five – to seven- times higher than in the general population. Blood clots can also travel to the kidneys and lungs, causing a host of other problems.

There are lifestyle changes and medications that can help someone control Afib and many of them make good overall health sense.

  • Quit smoking – If you smoke, try to quit. Look into over-the-counter or prescription medications, which have proven effective for many people.
  • Control your cholesterol – You can lower your cholesterol through a healthy diet and exercise plan, as well a number of effective medications prescribed by your doctor.
  • Lower your blood pressure – Following a healthy, low-sodium, low-saturated-fat diet plan can really help lower your blood pressure. Exercise is also very beneficial in lowering blood pressure. If needed, there are medications that can also help you get blood pressure under control.
  • Eat a heart-healthy diet – Following a heart-healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and oily fish, as well as lowering your salt and fat intake, makes sense whether you have Afib or not. If you do have Afib, these diet tips can make a difference in your symptoms.
  • Limit alcohol and/or caffeine – Cutting down on alcohol or stimulants of any kind can help control symptoms of Afib. Even some cold and flu remedies that have stimulants can trigger Afib.
  • Take medications if needed – Some patients may require medications to help prevent blood clots in the heart. These may include blood thinners or aspirin.

With proper monitoring, diet and medication, many people can lead normal, healthy lives even with Afib. And, there are medical interventions that can be performed to mitigate the problem overall. If you have experienced any of the symptoms noted above, consult your health care professional and have them checked.

Dr. Russo is Director of the Heart Rhythm Center at Cooper University Health Care. Cooper’s Heart Rhythm Center performs thousands of complex procedures each year to correct heart rhythm disorders.

To learn more about atrial fibrillation and treatment options, go to cooperhealth.org/conditions/arrhythmia.

For more information on Afib, or to make an appointment for an evaluation, call the Cooper Heart Institute at 856.342.2034 or request an appointment online at appointments.cooperhealth.org.

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