8 daily rules for preventing and managing atrial fibrillation – Policy News | news

Irregular heart rate or rhythm is called ‘arrhythmia’. Atrial fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia and is characterized by continuous, irregular heartbeat.

When atrial fibrillation occurs, the heart beats irregularly and the heart rate speeds up, often manifesting as heart palpitations. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, chest tightness, swelling, dizziness, and fatigue when walking. It may be discovered accidentally without any symptoms.

It is mainly observed in the elderly, but rarely occurs in middle-aged people before the age of 50. The most important part of treatment is preventing cerebral infarction (stroke).

Abnormalities are observed when feeling the pulse or measuring blood pressure and can be detected with a smartwatch, but atrial fibrillation can only be diagnosed with certainty through an electrocardiogram (ECG) test.

The eight daily rules for preventing and managing atrial fibrillation are as follows:

1. If you have palpitations, always measure your pulse or perform an electrocardiogram.

• When your heart is pounding, gently place your finger on your wrist and slowly check to see if your pulse is irregular.
• Measure pulse rate or electrocardiogram using an automatic blood pressure monitor or smartwatch.
• If palpitations persist, visit a nearby hospital and obtain an electrocardiogram.

2. Avoid excessive drinking and binge drinking.

• Avoid drinking parties as much as possible.
• Do not drink more than 3 glasses of alcohol per day.
• When drinking alcohol, avoid bombs and ‘one shots’.
– ‘Bomb liquor’ should be avoided as it increases the rate of alcohol absorption in the body and the overall amount of alcohol consumed.
– ‘One shot’ should be avoided as it increases the blood alcohol concentration sharply and increases the likelihood of binge drinking.

3. Avoid excessive stress.

• To manage stress, try to maintain a healthy lifestyle by doing yoga or aerobic exercise that suits you.
• To avoid excessive stress, behavioral control therapy, which involves trying to regulate one’s own body, can be helpful.
– Excessive stress stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, causing atrial fibrillation or increasing the frequency of atrial fibrillation recurrence.
– This includes breathing deeply or artificially relaxing muscles using biofeedback, self-control, and meditation therapy.

4. Manage underlying diseases such as high blood pressure or diabetes well.

• Measure your blood pressure frequently to ensure that your target blood pressure is maintained.
– For patients with high blood pressure, it is important to measure blood pressure when waking up in the morning, before taking blood pressure medication, and before going to bed.
• Ask your doctor what your target blood pressure is.
• Take your blood pressure medication at the same time every day.
– If you forget to take your medicine, take it as soon as you remember.
• Check your glycated hemoglobin level.
– The best level for the heart and blood vessels is generally within 6.5%.
– Ask your doctor to check whether your glycated hemoglobin is well controlled.

5. Manage your sleep apnea well.

• Maintaining an appropriate weight is important to reduce the risk of sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation.
– Your appropriate weight[키(㎝)100)×0.9]Check.
• If you still feel tired and drowsy during the day even after getting enough sleep, get a sleep test.
• Avoid eating after dinner time and do light exercise.

6. Quit smoking.

• Quit smoking because it is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation.
• Have a healthy lifestyle to quit smoking.
– Lifestyle habits such as quitting smoking, losing weight, abstaining from alcohol, and exercising prevent atrial fibrillation and promote cardiovascular health.
• If you find it difficult to quit smoking, consult your doctor about smoking cessation classes, smoking cessation medications, etc.

7. Manage obesity.

• Maintain healthy eating habits.
– It is helpful to keep a food diary to track your eating habits.
– Develop the habit of reducing salty, sweet, and fatty foods and drinking plenty of water.
• Walk for at least 20 minutes every day.
– When walking becomes difficult, such as in severe knee arthritis, other exercises may be substituted at the discretion of the attending physician.
• Get enough sleep of 7 to 8 hours a day.

8. If you are diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, you must receive appropriate treatment.

• If atrial fibrillation is not treated, the risk of complications such as stroke and cardiovascular disease increases.
• When receiving medication to treat atrial fibrillation, medication compliance and persistence are important.
– If atrial fibrillation is not treated, symptoms such as palpitations and difficulty breathing may occur, which can interfere with daily life.