Living with atrial fibrillation: a qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Patient Experience Research
• Qualitative Health Research

Background:

• Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a significant public health issue linked to stroke, cardiomyopathy, and reduced quality of life (QOL).
• While AF is known to impair physical and mental health, patient perspectives on living with the condition are not well understood.
• Understanding patient experiences is vital for developing interventions to improve QOL in individuals with AF.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the lived experiences of patients with recurrent symptomatic atrial fibrillation.
• To explore how these experiences impact patients' quality of life.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive study involving open-ended interviews.
• 15 participants (7 women, 8 men) with recurrent symptomatic AF, mean age 59.8 years, were recruited from a Midwest medical center.
• Data were analyzed using qualitative descriptive methods.

Main Results:

• Key themes emerged, including difficulty understanding symptoms, feeling uninformed and unsupported by healthcare providers, and challenges in managing unpredictable, function-limiting symptoms.
• Patients experienced diagnostic delays and had their concerns minimized.
• Coping strategies were often learned through trial and error, with limited effectiveness and a lack of emotional support.

Conclusions:

• Living with recurrent symptomatic AF involves significant challenges that diminish QOL.
• There is a need for interventions that improve AF symptom recognition, prompt evaluation, and treatment.
• Development and testing of psychoeducational programs are recommended to guide self-management and address the emotional burden of AF.