There are a variety of situations that can trigger an episode of, or contribute to, Atrial Fibrillation. These can include:

• Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, particularly ‘binge drinking’
• Being overweight
• Drinking a lot of caffeine, e.g. coffee, tea and fizzy drinks
• Taking illegal drugs, particularly those that stimulate the heart, e.g. amphetamines (‘speed’) or cocaine
• Smoking

Learning to recognise your individual trigger factors and reducing, or avoiding, them can sometimes help to minimise the symptoms of AF.

For general advice about keeping well with a heart condition please see the living with your heart condition section.