- Healthy Living
-
Healthy Eating
- Eating healthier often sounds more complicated than it needs to be here is some more...
Healthy Recipes
- Sweet and savoury treats for a few or a crowd, some old favourites madeover, or...
Exercise and Fitness
- Being active is key for having a healthy heart. Doing just 30 minutes of moderate...
Losing Weight
- Your weight can make a big difference to your risk of developing heart disease.
Quitting Smoking
- Quitting smoking is hard but there’s lots of help and support available to help...
Managing Blood Pressure
- Tips on how to change your lifestyle to manage your blood pressure
Managing Stress
- There are lots of ways you can manage stress in a healthy way.
Know Your Heart Risk
- Take time to find out what factors put you at risk of developing heart disease or...
Control Your Cholesterol
- High cholesterol is one of the main risk factors for heart disease.
Heart Foundation Tick
- The symbol you can trust to make healthier food choices
-
- Know the Facts
-
Statistics
- General heart statistics for New Zealand
Your Heart
- Your heart is a muscle. It's located a little to the left of the middle of your...
Food and Drink
- The food and drink you choose to eat can play a huge part in looking after your...
Risks and Causes
- There are known risks and causes for heart disease. Some are lifestyle factors you...
Conditions
- Find out more about different types of heart conditions
Tests
- Tests help your doctor decide how best you can be treated; they can also help...
Treatments
- There are many different treatments for heart disease. Find out more about heart...
Living with Heart Disease
- Are you or is someone in your family living with heart disease?
Heart Words Glossary A-Z
- A heart glossary for definition for the heart terms or words you're unsure of
Know Your Numbers
- Forecast your risk of a heart attack and stroke now
-
- Get Involved
-
Make a donation today
- The Heart Foundation is a charity and we need your donation to stop New Zealander's...
Online Shop
- Looking for something for yourself or someone else? a Heart Foundation gift is a...
Heart Foundation Lottery
- Be in to win this stunning Jennian dream home in Wanaka with Lottery No. 76 and help...
Volunteer
- Support us by joining our inspirational team of volunteers.
Fundraise
- Raise funds for the Heart Foundation and help our work. There are lots of ways to...
Corporate Support
- The Heart Foundation has great support from the corporate community. Find out how...
Take Action
- Thousands of New Zealand families endure the pain, loss and immeasurable suffering...
Go Red for Women
- Go Red for Women is the Heart Foundation's rallying call to the women of New Zealand...
-
- Our Work
-
How We Help
- We help with research and grants, improving pacific health, providing heart health...
About Us
- We are a not-for-profit, non-government organisation that funds research and...
Careers
- Your opportunity to build a rewarding career.
Research
- We provide a strong, supportive scientific voice on clinical, bio-medical and...
Grants
- Every year, we fund research that will improve the heart health of New Zealanders....
Our Locations
- We have 19 Heart Foundation branches across the country. Get in touch if there is...
Positions, Submissions and Policy
- Our positions, submissions and policy on New Zealand health and well being issues
Heart Life Newsletter
- Hot off the press, Heart Life is our quarterly newsletter designed to keep you up to...
About Us
- We are a not-for-profit, non-government organisation that funds research and...
-
- Programmes & Resources
-
Schools and ECE services
- Our successful programmes have been running in schools and ECE services for over 25...
Food Industry and Hospitality
- Find out more about the work that we do with food manufacturers and the food and...
Health Professionals
- Information on the programmes, courses and guidelines available from the Heart...
Pacific Health
- The Heart Foundation is committed to improving the Pacific heart health, find out...
Order Resources
- Heart health resources, presentation aids, guides, booklets and posters
Your Heart Forecast
- The Your Heart Forecast tool helps communicate cardiovascular risk to your patients
-
- Blogs & Stories
-
Circulate Blog
- Stay up to date with our latest news, views and opinions
Stories
- Read stories of everyday New Zealanders beating Heart Disease
Ask a Question
- Have a question about heart health? Ask us
ACTION UPDATE: Get rid of tobacco
- The Heart Foundation is pleased the Government has continued the national targets...
Auckland mayor Len Brown's story
- At 51 years of age, Len suffered a major heart attack while delivering a speech at...
Submit a Story
- Do you have a story to tell that will inspire and motivate others?
-
Atrial Fibrillation
Normally, your heart’s natural pacemaker sends out regular electrical impulses. Atrial Fibrillation (AF) happens when those impulses fire off from different places in the atria (the top chambers of the heart) in a disorganised way.
People with AF have an irregular and sometimes fast pulse.
What Causes Atrial Fibrillation?
Causes of AF include:
- High blood pressure
- Heart valve disease
- Thyrotoxicosis (overactive thyroid gland)
- Drinking too much alcohol.
It’s also associated with coronary heart disease. But in many patients no underlying cause can be found. Sometimes the AF can be resolved once the underlying condition has been dealt with.
What Are The Symptoms Of Atrial Fibrillation?
Symptoms can include:
- Palpitations (being aware of your heart beat)
- Tiredness
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness or feeling faint.
Some people only have mild symptoms, while other people have no symptoms at all.
Next steps
If you are concerned that you may have atrial fibrillation please discuss with your doctor or practice nurse.
