Atrial Fibrillation
6 medicines
Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm that raises the risk of stroke, usually managed with rate-control medicines, antiarrhythmics, and blood thinners.
Digoxin Tablets
Digoxin
0.25mg
Digoxin Tablets is a heart blood pressure medication containing Digoxin, available as 0.25mg tablets.
Warfarin Tablets
Warfarin
1/2/5mg
Warfarin Tablets is a heart blood pressure medication containing Warfarin, available as 1/2/5mg tablets.
Key facts
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained heart rhythm disorder: the upper chambers beat chaotically instead of steadily, reducing pumping efficiency and letting blood pool and clot.
- Prevalence rises sharply with age; many people notice fluttering, racing, breathlessness, or fatigue, though some feel nothing and AF is found incidentally on an ECG.
- Treatment has two goals: rate or rhythm control with medicines like digoxin, sotalol, and flecainide, and stroke prevention with anticoagulants like warfarin, apixaban, or dabigatran.
- Seek urgent care if AF comes with chest pain, sudden one-sided weakness, or difficulty speaking, as these may signal a stroke.
What AF feels like
Many people notice a fluttering or racing sensation in the chest, shortness of breath, fatigue, or lightheadedness. Some feel nothing at all and AF is found incidentally on an ECG. Palpitations that come and go (paroxysmal AF) are common early on; over time the rhythm may become persistent.
Seek urgent care if AF is accompanied by chest pain, sudden weakness on one side of the body, or difficulty speaking, as these may signal a stroke.
How AF is managed
Treatment has two goals: controlling the heart rate or restoring normal rhythm, and reducing stroke risk.
Rate control keeps the ventricles from beating too fast. Digoxin has been used for decades and remains useful in certain patients. Sotalol and flecainide are used to maintain or restore sinus rhythm, particularly in paroxysmal AF without structural heart disease.
Stroke prevention is equally important. Warfarin was long the standard anticoagulant; newer options such as apixaban and dabigatran offer more predictable dosing with fewer dietary interactions. The choice depends on kidney function, other health conditions, and individual risk.
AF often sits alongside other heart and blood pressure conditions, and managing those, controlling hypertension, treating sleep apnea, reducing alcohol intake, can reduce how often episodes occur and how severe they feel.
This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.