Table 1.

Preliminary items in the unreduced AF-QoL questionnaire (AF-QoL-40).

Due to my arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation)...

1. I get tired when I climb slopes or stairs.

2. I get more tired than usual when I carry out physical exercise (jogging, playing tennis, swimming, etc.).

3. I have reduced the amount of physical exercise (jogging, playing tennis, swimming, etc.) I perform.

4. I have stopped performing physical exercise (jogging, playing tennis, swimming, etc.).

5. I get tired when I walk for thirty minutes, and I have to rest.

6. I get tired during a brisk walk.

7. I feel palpitations when I run.

8. I get nervous.

9. I have felt depressed since I was diagnosed with the disease.

10. I feel insecure.

11. I am very aware of my heart and my general health.

12. I feel sadder and more depressed than before I was diagnosed with my disease.

13. I get scared when I feel that my heart beats at high speed.

14. I am afraid that something might happen to me while I am alone.

15. I have negative thoughts about my future.

16. I feel depressed when I find that I get tired.

17. I am afraid of having a sudden and unexpected tachycardia.

18. I feel anxious when I have tachycardia.

19. I am afraid that tachycardia will appear again.

20. I feel insecure when I have to travel.

21. I only go to places with hospitals nearby.

22. My disease has an impact on my family life.

23. I find it difficult to get out of the house to carry out any activity.

24. I feel very tired.

25. I feel as if something were pressing against my heart.

26. I feel exhausted and tired during the arrhythmia (tachycardia).

27. I feel a general tiredness after the arrhythmia (tachycardia).

28. I feel depressed when I think that my disease will last forever.

29. I am afraid of pain or of suffering a heart attack.

30. What affects me the most is the helplessness I feel when I suffer a crisis (tachycardia or arrhythmia episode).

31. I feel affected by the impossibility of carrying out certain activities; "I want to, but my body cannot".

32. I am afraid that my disease complicates things.

33. My disease has impaired my quality of life.

34. Changes have occurred in my sexual activity due to the medications I take.

35. Sexual relationships are less frequent than before I was diagnosed with the disease.

36. I get tired during sexual intercourse, and that is a limitation I feel.

37. I am afraid that my heart is "triggered" during sexual intercourse.

38. I feel a lack of vitality/energy to propose activities.

39. I felt more vitality before I was diagnosed with the disease.

40. I wake up at night due to the tachycardia (arrhythmia).