General measures
- Immediately make an emergency call! (Call number 112)
- Evaluation according to the “ABCDE approach” (A: “airway”, B: “breathing“, C: “circulation“, D: “disability”, E: “exposure”).
- Oxygen delivery via mask or nasal cannula in the presence of decreased oxygen saturation (SpO2).
- Bag-mask ventilation in the event of insufficient or absent spontaneous breathing.
- Placement of venous access
- Causal therapy (e.g., treatment of hyperthyroidism/hyperthyroidism).
- Elimination of a possible electrolyte disturbance (potassium, magnesium, calcium).
- If necessary, bed rest, sedation
- Nicotine restriction (refrain from tobacco use).
- Limited alcohol consumption (men: max. 25 g alcohol per day; women: max. 12 g alcohol per day).
- Limited caffeine consumption (max 240 mg of caffeine per day; equivalent to 2 to 3 cups of coffee or 4 to 6 cups of green/black tea).
- Aim for normal weight! Determination of BMI (body mass index, body mass index) or body composition by means of the electrical impedance analysis and, if necessary, participation in a medically supervised weight loss program or program for the underweight
- BMI ≥ 25 → participation in a medically supervised weight loss program.
- Falling below the BMI lower limit (from the age of 19: 19; from the age of 25: 20; from the age of 35: 21; from the age of 45: 22; from the age of 55: 23; from the age of 65: 24) → Participation in a medically supervised program for the underweight.
- Review of permanent medication due topossible effect on the existing disease.
- Avoidance of psychosocial stress:
- Stress
Conventional non-surgical therapy methods
- Electrical cardioversion, if necessary, also drug-induced cardioversion (restoration of normal heart rhythm by medication)
- Defibrillation in ventricular fibrillation
- Cardiac pacemaker; indications: see below “Cardiac pacemaker”.
Surgical therapy
- Catheter ablation (ablation (Latin ablatio “ablation, detachment”) of the tissue parts that send pathological (pathological) electrical impulses); indications: see “Catheter ablation” below).
- Closure of the left atrial appendage by means of an atrial appendage occluder (implant), cardiac catheter-based procedure (for atrial fibrillation, VHF)
Drug therapy
- S. u. of the specific disease in question.
Vaccinations
The following vaccinations are advised, as infection can often lead to worsening of the present disease:
- Flu vaccination
- Pneumococcal vaccination
Regular checkups
- Regular medical checkups
Nutritional medicine
- Nutritional counseling based on nutritional analysis
- Nutritional recommendations according to a mixed diet taking into account the disease at hand. This means, among other things:
- A total of 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruit daily (≥ 400 g; 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit).
- Once or twice a week fresh sea fish, i.e. fatty marine fish (omega-3 fatty acids) such as salmon, herring, mackerel.
- High-fiber diet (whole grain products).
- Observance of the following special dietary recommendations:
- Selection of appropriate food based on the nutritional analysis
- See also under “Therapy with micronutrients (vital substances)” – if necessary, taking a suitable dietary supplement (with basic minerals such as potassium citrate, magnesium citrate, calcium citrate).
- Detailed information on nutritional medicine you will receive from us.
Sports Medicine
- Light endurance training (cardio training).
- Regular moderate physical training increases vagotonus (state of excitation or tension of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is predominantly influenced by the vagus nerve) and thus leads to a decrease in resting pulse rate. Vagotonus also inhibits AV node excitation conduction (negative dromotropic effect).
- Preparation of a fitness or training plan with suitable sports disciplines based on a medical check (health check or athlete check).
- Detailed information on sports medicine you will receive from us.
Psychotherapy
- If necessary, psychotherapy for anxiety disorders resulting from atrial fibrillation.
- Detailed information on psychosomatics (including stress management) can be obtained from us.