What can I do to prevent (reduce my risk for) atrial fibrillation (AF)?
To reduce your risk for the onset of AF, maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle is always your best option. If you have been diagnosed with AF, take medications if they are prescribed for you, and get proper treatment and management of your condition so you can reduce the risk of AF’s harmful consequences. View an animation of atrial fibrillation.
- Get regular physical activity
- Eat a heart-healthy diet, low in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol
- Manage high blood pressure
- Avoid excessive amounts of alcohol and caffeine
- Don’t smoke
- Control cholesterol
- Maintain a healthy weight
All of these goals aide in the prevention of (reducing the risk for) heart disease, and will help keep your circulatory system in the best condition.
Other underlying conditions may need treatment because they can contribute to the onset of AF:
- Sleep apnea
- Thyroid disease
- Diabetes
- Chronic lung disease
- Other heart conditions
- Family history
What can I do to prevent (reduce my risk for) stroke?
The risk of stroke in the AF patient is as much as 5 times greater than that of the person without the heart disease.
Get treated
The treatment of AF is imperative for the prevention of (reducing the risk for) stroke.
Know your additional risk factors
Some other examples of stroke risk factors are:
- Previous stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- Increased age
- History of high blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Family history
- Obesity
- Circulation problems
- Smoking
Commit to a heart-healthy lifestyle
The good news is that up to 80 percent of strokes can be prevented. You can control your risk factors by changing your lifestyle and by treating your medical conditions as instructed.
Download our patient information sheets on how to live a heart-healthy lifestyle.
This content was last reviewed on 05/12/2012.
