AF is a life-long condition that changes over time but there are things you can do to help manage your condition.
Can Afib go away? If you have paroxysmal Afib, your symptoms may go away on their own without treatment. However, paroxysmal Afib can progress to persistent Afib depending on your risk factors. And both persistent Afib and long-standing persistent Afib require treatment to avoid serious complications.
Persistent Afib is progressive, which means it worsens and may become permanent. Persistent Afib has no cure. But treatment can restore the heart's normal rhythm and reduce symptoms.
Myth #1: If you had just one or two episodes of Afib, it probably won't come back. Fact: Atrial fibrillation is almost always a recurring disease and lifelong treatment is needed to minimize symptoms and to avoid stroke and heart failure.
With proper treatment, individuals with atrial fibrillation can live normal and active lives. Atrial fibrillation, commonly referred to as AF or a-Fib, is the most commonly occurring arrhythmia, or heart rhythm problem. AF is characterized by an abnormal or irregular heart rhythm that causes a rapid heart rate.
Atrial fibrillation is most often caused by changes to the heart's tissue or the electrical signaling that helps the heartbeat.
But while atrial fibrillation or AFib risk does go up as you age, this is one heart disorder that could hit at any point in life. Although the majority of AFib diagnoses happen over the age of 60, more and more young people – even teenagers and 20-somethings – are suffering from heart conditions.
Feeling angry or stressed about work may make AFib. Having anxiety increases the risk of AFib.
Treatment with medication (pharmacological cardioversion) or controlled electric shocks (electrical cardioversion) can often restore a normal heart rhythm. Afterwards, medication is typically used in order to try to prevent the heart rhythm from becoming irregular again.
“And for people with AFib, regular exercise can help keep the condition in check,” Dr. Khan says. Researchers have found that among people who have atrial fibrillation, those who are most fit have the fewest AFib episodes. People with the lowest levels of fitness, by contrast, have more frequent episodes.
Avoid saturated fat, trans fat, and salt to help control your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This will also protect your blood vessels. Limit caffeine. Watch how much soda, coffee, tea, energy drinks, and chocolate you have.
The basics include not smoking, following a heart-healthy Mediterranean-style diet (high in plant-based foods, fruits and vegetables, and low in saturated fats), being physically active and keeping to a normal weight (as indicated on a body-mass index chart).
While patients who have elevated stroke risks may be able to manage symptoms of AFib — such as a racing heartbeat — with other medications or medical procedures, they will still need to take blood thinners to protect against stroke.
If your atrial fibrillation is persistent, it may start to weaken your heart. In extreme cases, it can lead to heart failure, as your heart is unable to pump blood around your body efficiently.
Try to keep your heart at a normal rate and rhythm as much as possible. Try to avoid things that trigger your AF and remember to take your medication as prescribed. Regular exercise, a healthy diet and quality sleep also play a key role in preventing fatigue.
About atrial fibrillation
A normal heart rate, when you are resting, should be between 60 and 100 beats a minute. In atrial fibrillation, it may be over 140 beats a minute.
This lack of blood supply can cause fatigue, even when you're resting or being only slightly active. Everyone gets tired from time to time, but the fatigue that accompanies a heart condition like Afib is often described as: Constantly tired. Drained.
Studies have shown that having depression and anxiety increases your risk of developing AFib, independent of other factors. Furthermore, a Danish study found participants who took antidepressants had a three times higher risk of developing AFib.
Atrial fibrillation might come and go (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation), but sometimes it doesn't go away at all. It's not life-threatening, but it's considered serious because it could create blood clots in the heart that may lead to a stroke.
Answer From Rekha Mankad, M.D. Yes. Your risk of developing atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder, increases as you become older.
This type of Afib may also go away on its own, but most people with this form of Afib remain on medications to control the condition. Long-term persistent Afib is a form of persistent Afib that can last more than a year.