Foods to watch out for in patients with atrial fibrillation

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is written by Master, Doctor Nguyen Van Phong - Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Interventionist - Cardiovascular Center, Vinmec Times City International General Hospital

When you have atrial fibrillation, the heartbeat will be irregular, you need to pay attention to what foods you use? Foods that contain too much salt raise blood pressure, and high blood pressure can make you more likely to have atrial fibrillation. Salty foods can also make symptoms worse, more difficult to control, so your chances of having a stroke increase significantly.

For example, 1 serving of cold turkey can contain more than 1000 mg of sodium and that is enough for 50% of a day's total sodium
Other super salty foods such as: Pizza, canned food, bread, sauces...
You should check the product information of the foods used daily to choose the type with the right salt content.
1.Some kind of instant food. In addition to the amount of salt, you should also check the sugar content before buying foods, especially some processed breakfast foods.
Diets high in sugar can lead to obesity and high blood pressure, which can lead to atrial fibrillation.
Other surprising sugary foods include: Pasta sauce, ketchup...
2. Coffee Scientific evidence of coffee as a stimulant causing arrhythmias especially is atrial fibrillation is not really clear. Previous studies have shown a link between coffee and atrial fibrillation, but recent studies have found no link between coffee consumption and the frequency of AF episodes.
However, you should not drink coffee in excess no matter what. Drinking too much coffee can raise blood pressure and increase heart rate, which can trigger episodes of atrial fibrillation.
You shouldn't have more than two or three cups a day or switch to a decaffeinated drink.
3. Green vegetables In atrial fibrillation, taking blood thinners (anticoagulants) can help prevent blood clots from forming, reducing the risk of stroke.
However, there is an anticoagulant that will reduce the effect (vitamin K antagonist anticoagulant: Simtrom; Waffarin; Coumadine...) when you eat foods rich in vitamin K such as lettuce, spinach and other vegetables.
You should talk to your cardiologist to find out if the green vegetables you are taking will change the effect of anticoagulants. Then, depending on your blood clotting tests (eg INR), your doctor can adjust the dose to suit your eating habits.
4. Grapefruit If you're on medication to control your heart rate, skip this citrus fruit until you talk to your doctor.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice have chemicals that can change how well drugs are absorbed in the digestive tract. That makes the side effects of this medicine more likely.
You should discuss with your doctor if grapefruit is right for you.

5. Red meats Saturated fats in beef, lamb and pork are the types that raise bad cholesterol (LDL - Cho) in your blood. Elevated LDL-Cho levels can lead to heart disease and atrial fibrillation, and increase the risk of stroke.
Instead, you should put lean meat (red meat) such as sirloin, muscle... in the menu. Limiting the use of animal fat helps reduce bad cholesterol
6. Butter Dairy products, ice cream and cheese are all high in saturated fatty acids. If your diet contains a lot of saturated fatty acids, the body will increase the synthesis of bad cholesterol.
Better for your heart is skim milk or low-fat or fat-free dairy products.
Using heart-healthy vegetable oils such as olive oil, rice oil to replace animal fat for daily food processing will help reduce bad cholesterol in the blood.
7. Fried foods Donuts and chips may contain the worst kind of fat: trans fat. Unlike other fats, they can have the harmful dual effect of raising bad cholesterol and lowering good cholesterol (HDL-Cholesterol).
Baked goods such as cookies, cakes, and muffins can also contain trans fats.
8. Energy Drinks Many energy drink brands often add different ingredients to a super-sized cup of caffeine to give you an energy boost. That combination could be more harmful to your heart than caffeine alone.
One study found: Energy drinks cause more heart rate changes than other drinks containing only caffeine.
Another study shows a link between high energy drink consumption and the occurrence of atrial fibrillation.
9. Sea salt Normally sea salt crystals are larger and have a saltier taste than table salt, but sea salt still has the same amount of sodium as table salt.
One teaspoon of sea salt is equivalent to about 2300mg of Na – the recommended daily limit.
To help kick your salty habits, try different spices and herbs to season your food like ginger, chili, pepper...
10. White rice White rice is usually shelled. carefully thereby depriving your heart of nutrients and fiber that are good for your heart. Fiber can help improve blood cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity and type II diabetes - conditions related to atrial fibrillation.
You should add brown rice or unshelled rice to your meals. Whole grains help you feel full longer, reduce cravings and may reduce your risk of stroke.

11. Cold Drinks Cold drinks help cool you down in the summer but can trigger atrial fibrillation.
Although studies are still in the early stages, a recently published study found a link between lowering the temperature of cold drinks and irregular heartbeat.
If you feel the palpitations that often appear after drinking cold drinks, you should see your doctor for further advice.
12. Too much for any one food Eating too much of even healthy foods can make you gain weight. When you are obese you have a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation or an increased risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence after treatment has stabilized (including after RF ablation).
If you are obese (BMI >25 for Asians) try to lose at least 10% of your body weight.
You should start with portion control: reduce portion sizes, limit foods high in saturated fatty acids, trans fats and increase exercise.

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