Once we confirm your diagnosis and know the cause of your condition, we can recommend the most appropriate treatment. It’s also vital to manage any co-existing health conditions contributing to AF – such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

Atrial fibrillation treatments range from lifestyle changes and medications to cardiac devices and surgical procedures.

With treatment, we aim to:

• Maintain a steady heart rate
• Restore your heart rhythm
• Reduce your stroke risk by preventing blood clots

We usually start your treatment plan with lifestyle changes and medications. However, we may recommend cardioversion, ablation, or a pacemaker if these are ineffective.

Dr Syed Ahsan, our Consultant Cardiologist, has a wealth of experience in AF treatment. To discuss which treatment may benefit you, book an initial consultation today. Keep reading to learn more about AF treatments.

Heart rate and rhythm control

We may prescribe beta blockers or an anti-arrhythmic to prevent your heart from:

• Beating fast
• Beating out of rhythm

You usually take these in tablet form and we’ll let you know whether you should take them with or without food. Though, there are a few side effects to note: worsening arrhythmia, nausea, cold hands/feet, low blood pressure, fatigue, constipation and nightmares.

Preventing blood clots

Blood clots are a common complication of AF and strokes are five times more likely as a result. To avoid stroke we often prescribe:

• Blood thinners (such as warfarin) or
• NOACs (non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants) (more commonly)

You won’t need to watch your vitamin K intake with NOACs, as you would with medications such as warfarin.

Side effects of blood thinners include: indigestion, dizziness, heavy periods, easier bruising, muscle weakness and bleeding, such as bleeding gums

When symptoms are severe or medication isn’t sufficient or suitable, catheter ablation may be a feasible treatment. This is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that can noticeably improve AF symptoms, sometimes permanently.

We pass very fine catheters (wires) through a vein at the top of your leg and into the heart. You may experience some bleeding in these areas or bruising in the leg after the procedure. Electrodes at the tip of the wires then measure electrical signals within the heart and identify problematic areas.

We then use radio-frequency waves transmitted via the wires to administer heat to the target area, stopping it from sending further AF signals to the heart. Watch our information video to learn more: What is catheter ablation?

Some people with atrial fibrillation also develop atrial flutter. Catheter ablation is the recommended treatment for atrial flutter.

If medications and other treatments for atrial fibrillation do not successfully maintain your heart rate, we may recommend a pacemaker. Some AF treatments may also cause a slow heart rate, such as ablation, requiring pacemaker treatment.

A pacemaker procedure involves fitting a small implanted device close to your heart to regulate the heartbeat. Most people who need a pacemaker for AF are over 80. It is a safe procedure with a low complication rate, though there are some risks. These include blot clots in the arm on the same side of the pacemaker, a pacemaker infection, and an air leak.

There is also a minor chance that your pacemaker will malfunction. Signs of this include dizziness, feeling faint or fainting, and hiccups. Call your cardiologist if you think your pacemaker has malfunctioned.

Atrial fibrillation risk increases with age, particularly after 65. For elderly patients, our first focus is controlling the heart rate. Many older patients experience no symptoms of AF. These people often benefit from anti-arrhythmics.

Elderly patients are more likely to experience conditions that contribute to AF, which we need to manage. We will likely recommend blood-thinning medications as stroke risk also increases with age. The catheter ablation procedure involves more risk, though it is still possible.