Managing heart conditions

Managing atrial fibrillation (AFib)

Make informed decisions with long-term heart monitoring.

Woman in a kayak smiling while paddling along a lake

Heart monitoring for AFib

If you’ve been diagnosed with AFib, monitoring your heart with a patch or a watch may not be enough. Learn how an insertable, long-term monitor watches your heart 24/7, helping your doctor better manage your AFib treatment.

What is my AFib burden?

AFib burden is the amount of time your heart is in AFib over time. This includes how often you go into AFib (whether you feel it or don’t) and how long you are in AFib. An insertable monitor, also known as a loop recorder or an ICM, that watches your heart 24/7 can give your doctor this information. Understanding your AFib burden can help your doctor make treatment recommendations.

Normal heartbeat

A small pulse of electric current spreads quickly through the heart to make the muscle contract.

AFib

In AFib, the heart’s upper chambers quiver faster than the rest of the heart.

Insertable heart monitors can help track:

  • The number of abnormal heartbeats you’re having
  • The length of abnormal heartbeats
  • The time you are in AFib versus normal rhythm, also known as “AF burden”
  • Your activity levels
  • The variation between your heartbeats, also known as heart rate variability, which can show how well your heart is responding to your body’s needs
  • Your symptoms, if and when you feel the variations in heartbeats