Patient-led interventions to manage symptoms and episodes of atrial Fibrillation: a mixed-methods study

PI Title: Dr Christopher Clark

Lead member: Exeter

"Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a condition where the heart beats irregularly; it affects 1.4 million adults in England. This irregular heartbeat can happen all the time or it can occur in episodes between periods of normal, regular heartbeats.

People with AF may become distressed by awareness of their irregular heartbeat, or not notice any specific symptoms. AF reduces quality of life by causing symptoms such as anxiety, shortness of breath, or tiredness when carrying out ordinary tasks or exercise. People with AF may worry about their increased risk of having a future stroke, heart failure, or decline in brain function.

Medications are required and sometimes hospital procedures can also help to manage AF. However, for most people with AF, important changes to their lifestyle can reduce symptoms, improve quality life and well-being, increase the ability to exercise and reduce risk of future stroke.

Effective lifestyle changes include increasing amount of regular exercise, weight loss, stopping smoking, and reducing alcohol intake. However, there is a lack of information as to how people with AF can effectively apply these lifestyle changes to their everyday lives and sustain them over the long term. The best type of exercise for people with AF is also unclear.

During this project we will review reports of lifestyle changes for people with AF to identify the practical aspects and ways of helping people to make such changes. We will work together with people who have AF to make sure that we ask the right questions and get the most useful information from this review. We will then work together to design practical and easily understood guides for people to use in making changes to their lifestyle and exercise habits to improve their symptoms of AF.

In the final phase of the project, we will plan, and seek funding for, a future study to develop a self-management and exercise lifestyle programme to improve symptoms for people with AF."

Amount awarded: £53,124