Atrial Fibrillation

Common Questions & Answers
Call your doctor right away if you think you're experiencing symptoms of afib. If you have recurring afib, wearable devices and apps can help you monitor your heartbeat at home, under the supervision of your doctor.
In some people, afib will go away on its own and not cause any complications. In others, it can get worse, last for years, or even become permanent.
It depends on your afib and health history. Some people may have to continue taking antiarrhythmic medications after ablation, but many will end up no longer needing them.
Having other heart conditions, obesity, sleep apnea, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or lung disease all increase your risk of afib. Older age, family history, European ancestry, and lifestyle choices also affect your risk.

Chung Yoon, MD
Medical Reviewer

Anurag Sahu, MD
Medical Reviewer
Anurag Sahu, MD, is the director of the adult congenital heart program at Inova Health System in Fairfax, Virginia. Previously, he was an associate professor of medicine as well as an associate professor of radiology at Emory University in Atlanta, where he also served as director of cardiac intensive care.
He attended medical school at the University of Missouri in Kansas City in its combined six-year BA/MD program. He then completed his internal medicine residency at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC; fellowship training at Rush University in Chicago; and advanced training in cardiac imaging and adult congenital heart disease at The Ohio State University in Columbus.
Dr. Sahu has published book chapters on cardiovascular imaging as well as a variety of journal articles in publications including The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplant, JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions, and the Journal of Thoracic Imaging.
Among the places that his career has taken him, his favorite was Kauai, Hawaii, where he was the only cardiologist on the island.

Robert Jasmer, MD
Medical Reviewer
Robert Jasmer, MD, is board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary disease, and critical care medicine. He is in private practice in Burlingame, California, where he specializing in interstitial lung disease, pulmonary infections, and obstructive lung disease. His favorite part of practice is the long-term personal relationships he develops with his patients.
Jasmer previously served as the associate program director of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Training Program at UCSF, and has also directed the UCSF Pulmonary and Critical Care Continuing Medical Education program. He was also the codirector of the medical intensive care unit at San Francisco General Hospital for nine years. He has published more than 30 peer-reviewed research studies and written 11 books or chapters on various topics in pulmonary diseases and critical care medicine. In addition to reviewing for Everyday Health, Jasmer has also written for publications like MedPageToday.
Jasmer is married and has a daughter and twin sons. In his personal time, he enjoys spending time with his family, trying out new restaurants, playing tennis, and keeping up with his children's busy schedules.

Michael Cutler, DO, PhD
Medical Reviewer
Michael Cutler, DO, PhD, is a cardiac electrophysiologist at Intermountain Heart Rhythm Specialists in Salt Lake City, Utah. His research interests include understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmia, gene therapy for cardiac arrhythmias, neural control of the circulation in sleep apnea, role of exercise in health and disease, and improving the management of cardiac arrhythmias (i.e., atrial fibrillation).
He completed his BS and MS in exercise physiology and was a member of the track/cross country team at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Prior to attending medical school, Dr. Cutler was an adjunct clinical instructor in the College of Health at the University of Utah and also served on the Utah Governor’s Council on Health and Physical Fitness. He then attended the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth for medical school and for his PhD in cardiovascular physiology.
After medical school, Cutler entered the highly selective ABIM Research Pathway physician-scientist training program at the MetroHealth Campus of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. During this time, he completed his clinical training in internal medicine, cardiology and clinical cardiac electrophysiology, served as chief cardiology fellow, and received the Kenneth M. Rosen Fellowship in cardiac pacing and electrophysiology from the Heart Rhythm Society. Following residency and fellowship, Cutler accepted a position as an assistant professor of medicine at the MetroHealth Campus of Case Western Reserve University until he joined his current partners at Intermountain Heart Rhythm Specialists.
Cutler's research has received meritorious recognition from the American Physiological Society, the American Heart Association, and the Heart Rhythm Society.
Cutler has been an author on publications in journals such as Circulation, Circulation Research, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, and Nature. He is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and clinical cardiac electrophysiology through the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Steven Atchley, MD, DO
Medical Reviewer
- Afib. Cleveland Clinic. July 7, 2024.
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