When and why you need drugs for atrial fibrillation
Medications are often part of the treatment plan for people with atrial fibrillation — a fast, irregular heartbeat.
- Reviewed by Sunil Kapur, MD, Contributor
A rapid or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) can make you feel like your heart is racing or fluttering. Some people don’t notice a change in rate or pattern, but they may feel breathless or fatigued. Atrial fibrillation (afib), the most common heart arrythmia, can also raise your risk of stroke. For many people with afib, medications are a mainstay of treatment. Increasingly, cardiologists recommend starting treatment soon after a diagnosis rather than waiting until the condition worsens.
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About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Sunil Kapur, MD, Contributor
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