After Your Catheter Ablation Procedure

After your catheter ablation procedure, you will stay overnight for observation. Most patients are discharged from the hospital the next morning. Your doctor will discuss the results of the procedure with you.

At Home

When you return home, you may have to limit your activity for a couple of days but most patients return to their normal routines quickly. Your doctor will talk to you about any activities you may have to avoid while you are healing. Be sure to take any medications that your doctor has prescribed.

Follow-Up Visits

Your doctor will likely want to see you in a few months to check on your healing and monitor your heart rhythms. One catheter ablation is usually enough to treat atrial fibrillation. In some cases, individuals need a repeat procedure to achieve full success. It’s important to have regular check-ups to make sure atrial fibrillation has not returned. Even without symptoms, atrial fibrillation is a serious medical condition. If atrial fibrillation is not treated, it may lead to a stroke, heart failure, or fatigue.

Next: Daily Living

Daily Living After Catheter Ablation

After successful catheter ablation procedure, most people can return to a normal, active lifestyle and experience improvement in their quality of life.

Regular Follow-Up Visits

It’s important to have regular check-ups to make sure atrial fibrillation has not returned. In some cases, individuals need a repeat procedure to achieve full success. Even without symptoms, atrial fibrillation is a serious medical condition. If atrial fibrillation is not treated, it may lead to a stroke, heart failure, or fatigue.

Healthy Lifestyle Changes

Some lifestyle changes may help prevent further atrial fibrillation:

• Maintain a healthy weight – Reduce calorie intake and get more exercise
• Stop smoking – Nicotine constricts blood vessels and forces your heart to work harder. Carbon monoxide damages the lining of your blood vessels.
• Control your blood pressure – Check your blood pressure regularly. If you have high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s orders and take all prescribed medications as directed.
• Control your cholesterol – Have your cholesterol checked regularly. Eat fewer high-cholesterol foods, and take cholesterol-lowering medication if needed.
• Keep diabetes under control – If you have diabetes, controlling your blood sugar level can help slow the progression of coronary artery disease.
• Get moving – Exercise helps you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. It can also help control diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Try to get 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. As with all exercise programs, seek the advice of your doctor before you start.
• Eat healthy foods – A heart-healthy diet based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains – and low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium – can help you control your weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol. 
• Manage stress – Reduce stress as much as possible. Practice healthy techniques for managing stress such as muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and exercise.
• Treat sleep apnea or thyroid disorders – If you have sleep apnea or a thyroid disorder, it’s important to get treatment since these may contribute to atrial fibrillation.