About Atrial Fibrillation

AF can cause problems including dizziness, shortness of breath and tiredness. You may be aware of noticeable heart palpitations, where your heart feels like its pounding, fluttering or beating irregularly, often for a few seconds or, in some cases, a few minutes. Sometimes, atrial fibrillation does not cause any symptoms and a person with it is completely unaware that their heart rate is not regular.

It may be possible to prevent atrial fibrillation by staying physically active. Large study of people, over the age of 65 found that participating in light to moderate physical activities, particularly leisure-time activities such as gardening and walking, is associated with significantly lowering of atrial fibrillation incidences. Even if you have atrial fibrillation, it is important to stay physically active because doing so has a positive impact on your overall health. Consult your doctor before you become more physically active.

Healthy lifestyle changes are always a good idea. Your risk for developing many diseases can be reduced if your diet is lower in saturated and trans fats, and includes plenty of vegetables, fruit, fibre and lean protein. Quitting smoking, limiting alcohol intake and reducing stress as much as possible have been shown to improve health in numerous studies. Any lifestyle changes that lower blood pressure (such as maintaining a normal weight) are likely to reduce the chances of developing atrial fibrillation.