What should I do now?
Call 911
Call 911 for chest pressure, severe trouble breathing, fainting during a racing heartbeat, or stroke signs such as face drooping, arm weakness, or trouble speaking. Do not drive yourself.
Contact your care team
Contact your care team for new or longer episodes, worsening fatigue, reduced activity, medication side effects, or bleeding concerns.
Keep your care plan
Keep your treatment and follow-up plan. Bring questions, readings, and your medication list.
05 / PUT THE PLAN INTO PRACTICE
Living with AFib: a lifelong care plan
AFib is a lifelong condition that can progress over time. Episodes may become more frequent or last longer, although progression varies from person to person. Even when treatment keeps your heart in normal rhythm, ongoing follow-up remains important.
Stay connected with your cardiologist
Your cardiologist helps manage your AFib, reassess stroke risk, monitor heart function, and treat conditions such as high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and heart failure. Your treatment plan may need to change as your health and rhythm change.
Discuss your options with an electrophysiologist (EP)
An EP is a cardiologist who specializes in the heart’s electrical system and rhythm disorders. We recommend that every patient with AFib have an EP consultation to discuss whether rhythm control would be helpful and which approach best fits their needs. This may include cardioversion, rhythm-control medications, or catheter ablation.
An EP consultation does not mean you must have a procedure. It gives you an opportunity to understand the benefits and risks of your options and make a plan based on your symptoms, AFib pattern, heart health, and preferences. Discussing these choices early can help you plan treatment before AFib becomes harder to control.
Take medicines as prescribed and tell your team about recurrent symptoms. Do not stop a blood thinner because you feel better or have had ablation; review the decision with your clinician.
Updated October 2026. Educational information; your own care plan may differ.