How is occasional atrial fibrillation treated medically?

With occasional atrial fibrillation, your doctor may or may not treat this problem with medications. Occasional atrial fibrillation often comes and goes on its own. You may notice an irregular heartbeat or have feelings of palpitations and shortness of breath, and then when you see your doctor, the symptoms are gone and your doctor cannot detect an arrhythmia. Your doctor may ask you to wear a Holter monitor for 24 to 48 hours to see if the irregular heart rhythm occurs. Then your doctor may prescribe drugs to keep the pulse from being too fast and a blood thinner such as aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin), or heparin to prevent blood clots and strokes. Your doctor will also suggest lifestyle changes you can make to reduce the chance of an arrhythmia such as eliminating coffee, stopping alcohol and cigarettes, reducing stress, and keeping your blood pressure normal.