Atrial Fibrillation

This course gives pharmacy students a complete, easy-to-follow guide to understanding Atrial Fibrillation (AF) — one of the most common and clinically important cardiac conditions you’ll encounter in practice. Using clear explanations, visuals, and real-world examples, this module walks you through: How the heart’s electrical system works and what goes wrong in AF The difference between AF, atrial flutter, and other arrhythmias Risk factors, from age and hypertension to thyroid disorders Complications like stroke and heart failure Step-by-step diagnosis and ECG interpretation Treatment goals – rate control, rhythm control, and stroke prevention Pharmacological management – beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, digoxin, anticoagulants, and antiarrhythmic drugs Monitoring, side effects, and counselling points for key medicines NICE-aligned management pathways relevant to UK pharmacy practice