Profiles

Here, you can find any of the interviews on this site.



Richard

Richard believes he had paroxysmal AF on and off for years before his diagnosis. Now in permanent AF, he takes warfarin and verapamil. He leads a normal life but wonders whether it is his AF, medication or age which causes tiredness and lack of energy.

  • Background

    Richard is an exploration manager in the oil industry. Now semi-retired, he is married. Ethnic background/nationality: White European.

  • Age at interview 56
  • Sex/Gender Male
  • Jo

    Diagnosed with AF 11 years ago, Jo has had bad reactions to medications. She now takes warfarin and atenolol. In permanent AF, she recently underwent an unsuccessful cardioversion. She believes doctors need to be more aware of the distress AF causes.

  • Background

    Jo is a retired nurse. She is married with one adult child. Ethnic background/nationality: White European.

  • Age at interview 64
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • George Y

    George noticed a pain and tightness in his chest whilst driving one day, and the following night felt unwell when he went to bed. The next morning he went to A&E and was diagnosed with AF. He takes aspirin, amiodarone & propranolol.

  • Background

    George is a retired teacher and lives with his wife. They have two grown up children. Ethnic background: White.

  • Age at interview 66
  • Sex/Gender Male
  • Keith

    Despite episodes of irregular heartbeat, Keith put off seeing his doctor. His AF was diagnosed by chance at a check-up after a knee operation. A minor stroke about a year later convinced him to give up smoking. He takes warfarin and sotalol.

  • Background

    Keith is a head teacher. He is married with one adult child. Ethnic background/nationality: White British.

  • Age at interview 61
  • Sex/Gender Male
  • Brendan

    Brendan realises that he had mild symptoms of AF for years, but it was only at a routine blood pressure check that AF was discovered. He has had 3 cardioversions but is now in permanent AF. He takes warfarin and digoxin and feels in quite good health'.

  • Background

    Brendan works full time in a senior role within social care. He is married with 4 grown up children. Ethnic background: White.

  • Age at interview 59
  • Sex/Gender Male
  • Marianne

    Marianne first had symptoms twenty years ago, but it was a few years later that AF was diagnosed. She has tried a number of different medications but always experienced side effects. She takes warfarin and candesartan, and is due to have an ablation soon.

  • Background

    Marianne is retired from her work in the charity sector. She has one grown up daughter. Ethnic background: White British.

  • Age at interview 72
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Dot

    Dot has had symptoms of paroxysmal AF for ten years. She was on atenolol and aspirin and her AF was stable. A health check at work suggested her medication needed changing but this made Dot's AF worse. She is now back on atenolol and takes warfarin.

  • Background

    Dot works full time as an academic with management responsibilities in a university. Ethnic background/nationality: White British.

  • Age at interview 64
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Roger

    Roger was diagnosed with AF ten years ago, and has not been able to work since due to his symptoms. He takes bisoprolol and warfarin and has had cardioversion and ablation procedures. He focuses on what he can do rather than what he cannot.

  • Background

    Roger is married and worked as a building and facilities manager until he was diagnosed with AF. Ethnic background/nationality: White.

  • Age at interview 60
  • Sex/Gender Male
  • James

    James was diagnosed with AF after he had a stroke which affected his right side. He had some irregular heartbeats a few weeks earlier but dismissed it. He has had one cardioversion and three ablations. He took warfarin before changing to rivaroxaban.

  • Background

    James is a surveyor and lives with his wife. He has one grown-up child. Ethnic background/nationality: White British.

  • Age at interview 63
  • Sex/Gender Male
  • Carin

    Carin was given sotalol for her AF, but had side effects and stopped taking it after two years. After 18 months without an episode, she was upset to have one, and is now in permanent AF. Carin finds AF scary, and feels the condition is underestimated.

  • Background

    Carin is a retired nurse practitioner and lives with her husband. She has two grown up children. Ethnic background/nationality: White Dutch.

  • Age at interview 62
  • Sex/Gender Female