When I visit my doctor for screening, what will happen at that visit

When you go to see your doctor in order to be screened for atrial fibrillation, the first thing that the doctor will do is talk to you about any potential symptoms that may be hidden. For example, he will ask you specifically related to questions around your palpitations, whether there's been a change in your exercise tolerance, whether you think you're more breathless than usual, whether there's episodes of lightheadedness or dizziness to ascertain if there are any symptoms in the background. Once you've spoken to the doctor, your doctor can examine you and will be able to feel your pulse. And the hallmark of atrial fibrillation is to find a pulse which is irregularly irregular. And this will give a clue as to whether you have atrial fibrillation. the pulse can pick up the diagnosis straight away. However, to confirm the diagnosis you will need an electrical recording of the heart which is usually done with an ECG or through a device which can give a single lead rhythm recording of the electricity of the heart. So the gold standard to make the diagnosis is an ECG tracing and when you visit your doctor for assessment of whether you have atrial fibrillation you will have an ECG. If the ECG is normal on the day but atrial fibrillation is suspected then a longer period of recording will be necessary and under these circumstances you will be referred to have longer ambulation monitoring for up to a few days in order to make the diagnosis to see if we can find episodes of atrial fibrillation.