Triggers, medications, risk factors. When you’re diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AFib), you’ll receive a lot of new information. Where do you even start?
To help you understand what’s going on, and what comes next, we asked an expert for the top things to know about AFib.
1. You’re not alone.
More than 5 million adults in the U.S. have AFib, a condition where their heart sometimes beats out of rhythm. Once you cross age 40, you have a one in four chance of developing it.
“AFib even has a catchphrase now: It’s being called the new ‘epidemic’ of cardiology,” says Jude Clancy, MD, a Hartford HealthCare cardiac electrophysiologist who practices in Middlesex and Old Saybrook.
> Related: 5 Tips for Living With AFib
2. For some people, AFib is curable.
Depending on your big-picture health, you may be a candidate for an ablation procedure, which blocks the connections causing your heart’s electrical misfires. It’s not right for everyone, but it can be worth it.
“For appropriate candidates, ablation successfully eliminates AFib for up to 80% of patients who have the procedure,” says Dr. Clancy.
> Related: 4 Foods to Avoid When You Have AFib
3. For most people, AFib is permanent but manageable.
Just like someone with high cholesterol, once your Afib is under control you can live a very normal life. Often, this involves medication to keep your heart in rhythm and lifestyle changes to avoid common triggers, like caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and stress.
“With proper management, many people live long, healthy lives with AFib,” says Dr. Clancy.
> Related: 5 Common Causes of AFib, and How to Avoid Them
4. If you’re living with AFib, your top priority is preventing stroke.
AFib itself isn’t deadly — but its scariest side effect, stroke, can be. Many people protect themselves by simply taking blood thinner medicine, with common-sense precautions: “When you’re on blood thinners, you’re at a higher risk for bleeding, so you have to be careful about your activities,” says Dr. Clancy.
Or, if you’re eligible, you may be able to get an implant like the WATCHMAN, which prevents clots from forming — potentially eliminating the need for blood thinners altogether.
5. Even with treatment, you may still go into AFib.
Every now and then, despite you and your doctor doing everything right, your heart may still occasionally go into AFib. It won’t last forever.
“If an AFib episode doesn’t correct itself within a certain time period, your doctor may recommend a minimally invasive procedure called a cardioversion,” says Dr. Clancy, which uses electricity or medications to restore your heart’s normal rhythm.
> Want more health news? Text StartHere to 85209 to sign up for text alerts
6. AFib episodes aren’t dangerous, but they can be challenging.
For many people, being in AFib is like being hit with the flu: exhaustion, pounding heart, dizziness, trouble breathing.
“While AFib is not life-threatening, if you’re very symptomatic, it can really disrupt your life,” says Dr. Clancy. “Many people struggle with the uncertainty of it.”
7. It helps to have support.
Will you wake up feeling great, or will you be in AFib and need to cancel your plans?
“The trick is finding ways to cope with that feeling of uncertainty, rather than restricting your life,” says Dr. Clancy.
Ask your doctor if they can connect you with an AFib support group or suggest other healthy coping strategies.
8. Your cardiologist is your new best friend.
Highlight your appointments and put the front desk in your favorites: Your doctor will need to monitor your heart regularly.
“AFib is an ongoing management between you and your care team,” says Dr. Clancy. “When we work together, we can get your AFib under control — and keep it that way.”
