Table 1 Preliminary items in the unreduced AF-QoL questionnaire (AF-QoL-40).

   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).