Manage or control stress.

Your parent's emotional and psychological state can have a very real effect on his physical health. An important aspect of managing an arrhythmia is minimizing stress and anxiety. Ironically, knowing that he has an arrhythmia can be stressful in itself. Your parent may feel anxious about his symptoms and worry about future complications.

Since not all stressful situations can be avoided, it's important for your parent to develop coping skills. You might suggest one or more of these stress-busting strategies:

• Meditation, yoga, or tai chi
• Listening to relaxing music
• Taking a walk outdoors

Control other health problems that might make an arrhythmia worse.

Any of the following conditions can cause an irregular heart rhythm to develop:

• Coronary artery disease
• Diabetes
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Heart valve problems
• High cholesterol
• Thyroid disease
• Chronic kidney disease

If your parent already has an arrhythmia, it's crucial to properly manage conditions that might make it worse. Talk to your parent's doctor about any concerns you might have.

Encourage a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Heart disease is one of the most common causes of serious arrhythmias, so it's important for your parent to keep his heart as healthy as possible. If he doesn't have a healthy lifestyle already, your parent should make some key changes:

• Exercise regularly.
• Eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet.
• Manage blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
• Lose excess weight.
• Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke.

For more information, see our checklist for helping your parent prevent a heart attack.