It involves giving the heart a controlled electric shock to try to restore a normal rhythm. If a cause can be identified, you may only need treatment for this.If no underlying cause can be found, the treatment options are:You'll be quickly referred to your specialist treatment team if one type of treatment fails to control your Medicines called anti-arrhythmics can control atrial fibrillation by:The choice of anti-arrhythmic medicine depends on the type of atrial fibrillation, any other medical conditions you have, side effects of the medicine chosen, and how well the atrial fibrillation responds.Some people with atrial fibrillation may need more than one anti-arrhythmic medicine to control it.A variety of medicines are available to restore normal heart rhythm, including:An alternative medicine may be recommended if a particular medicine does not work or the side effects are troublesome.Newer medicines are in development, but are not widely available yet.The aim is to reduce the resting heart rate to under 90 beats per minute, although in some people the target is under 110 beats per minute.A medicine called digoxin may be added to help control the heart rate further.Normally, only one medicine will be tried before catheter ablation is considered.As with any medicine, anti-arrhythmics can cause side effects.The most common side effects of anti-arrhythmics are:Read the patient information leaflet that comes with the medicine for more details.The way the heart beats in atrial fibrillation means there's a risk of If these enter the bloodstream, they can cause a stroke.Your doctor will assess your risk and try to minimise your chance of having a stroke. Because of this, blood can pool in certain parts of your heart and form a blood clot. To prevent clots and strokes in people with AF, doctors often prescribe medications known as “anticoagulants”. This helps to identify whether treatment is controlling AFib or the heart rate in AFib.As the likelihood of having atrial fibrillation increases with age, so does the risk of As a caregiver, you are often responsible for helping patients keep up with their medications. Atrial Fibrillation is a troublesome condition which is common in elderly people. Cardioversion. It may be possible for you to be treated by a GP, or you may be referred to a heart specialist (a cardiologist).Some cardiologists, known as electrophysiologists, specialise in the management of abnormalities of heart rhythm.You'll have a treatment plan and work closely with your healthcare team to decide the most suitable and appropriate treatment for you.Factors that will be taken into consideration include:The first step is to try to find the cause of the atrial fibrillation. These drugs help prevent blood clots from forming … But this task can be challenging. In 2010, the number of individuals with AF in the European Union over the age of 55 years was estimated to be 8.8 million but this is expected to double to 17.9 million by 2060, with a further 6–12 million likely to be affected in the United States (US) (1, 2). If you're prescribed warfarin, you need to have regular Many medicines can interact with warfarin and cause serious problems, so check that any new medicines you're prescribed are safe to take with warfarin.While taking warfarin, you should be careful about drinking too much alcohol regularly and avoid Drinking cranberry juice and grapefruit juice can also interact with warfarin and is not recommended.NICE also states that you should be offered a choice of anticoagulation and the opportunity to discuss the merits of each medicine.Unlike warfarin, rivaroxaban, dabigatran, apixaban and edoxaban do not interact with other medicines and do not require regular blood tests.In large trials, the medicines have been shown to be as effective or more effective than warfarin at preventing You can read more about rivaroxaban, dabigatran and apixaban in the NICE guidance on Edoxaban is recommended as an option for preventing stroke or a blocked artery Cardioversion may be recommended for some people with atrial fibrillation.It involves giving the heart a controlled electric shock to try to restore a normal rhythm.Cardioversion is usually carried out in hospital so the heart can be carefully monitored.If you have had atrial fibrillation for more than 2 days, cardioversion can increase the risk of a clot forming. 11305683 | Atrial Fibrillation (also called AFib) is a life-threatening heart condition that can happen to anyone, but many people who have AFib aren't getting the treatment they need.