Living With Atrial Fibrillation

People who have atrial fibrillation (AF)—even permanent AF—can live normal, active lives.

If you have AF, you should:

• Keep all your medical appointments.
• Bring all the medicines you’re taking to every doctor and emergency room visit. This will help your doctor know exactly what medicines you’re taking.
• Follow your doctor’s instructions for taking medicines. Be careful about taking over-the-counter medicines, nutritional supplements, or cold and allergy medicines, because some contain stimulants that can trigger rapid heart rhythms. Some over-the-counter medicines can have harmful interactions with heart rhythm medicines.
• Tell your doctor if you’re having side effects from your medicines, if your symptoms are getting worse, or if you have new symptoms.
• If you’re taking blood-thinning medicines, you will need to be monitored carefully, including getting regular blood tests to check how the medicines are working. Talk with your doctor about your monitoring program.
• Talk with your doctor about diet, physical activity, weight control, and alcohol use.