Effect of patient education and physical training on quality of life and physical exercise capacity in patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and the number of atrial fibrillation patients is growing worldwide. In addition to an increase in risk of stroke and heart failure patients with atrial fibrillation also experience decrease in fitness and quality of life. In our study 58 atrial fibrillation patients draw lots to participate or not in a rehabilitation program with education and exercise training in addition to usual treatment. We measured fitness by a bicycle test at the beginning of the study and after 3 and 6 months, moreover participants filled out questionnaires on quality of life at the beginning of the study and after 3, 6 and 12 months. We found that our rehabilitation program may have a short term (but no long term) effect on quality of life and fitness in atrial fibrillation patients.