Atrial fibrillation

I48.9 · Cardiovascular

Clinical description

Atrial fibrillation. ICD-10: I48.9. Heart and circulation — stamina, shift work, and stress tolerance may be affected.

ICD-10 classification¹

Work & claim impact

Hover highlighted terms for claim context · ? for more info

Document how symptoms limit material duties — attendance, stamina, cognition, safety, and reliability.

Claim tip: Cardiovascular labels rarely satisfy own-occupation tests alone — pair symptoms and medicine side-effects with named material duties .

Functional capacity Safety-critical duties Date trap Functional-capacity builder

Claim note: Insurers test occupational incapacity — document how it blocks material duties , not the diagnosis label ↗ alone.

Examples

For Atrial fibrillation: cannot perform [your core duty] because fatigue and reduced stamina.
Use format: "Because of [symptom], I cannot [material duty]."
Diagnosis (ICD-10) on a certificate does not replace proof that material duties are blocked.
Duty link (cognitive): cannot perform client workshops because brain fog and poor concentration.

Diagnosis trap Symptom → duty Material duties Incapacity Diagnosis vs duty Functional capacity builder · Language map

Category context

Heart and circulation — stamina, shift work, and stress tolerance may be affected.

Common symptoms (story builder)

Hover for a plain-language explanation · + adds to your health story.

Fatigue Reduced stamina Dizziness

Relevant specialists & assessors

Treating and assessing roles commonly involved with this condition on SA income-protection claims — click a role to see what they do.^†

General Practitioner (GP) Medical doctor Primary care doctor — first point for sick notes, referrals, and ongoing treatment. What they do → Cardiologist Specialist Heart and blood-vessel conditions — hypertension, arrhythmia, heart failure. What they do → Physician (specialist) Medical doctor Internal medicine specialist — often manages complex or multi-system conditions. What they do → Clinical Technologist Diagnostics Cardiology or renal technology — ECG, dialysis support. What they do → Independent Medical Examiner (IME) Assessor Assessor Insurer- or employer-appointed assessor — not treating doctor. What they do →

Full clinicians & practices directory →

Linked medications (SA)

Generic active ingredients, registered brand formulations, SA strengths, and typical dosing — cross-linked to medication pages.^†

Propranolol

2 SA brands Schedule 5 ℹ

Non-selective beta-blocker — used for anxiety somatic symptoms and migraine prevention.

Brands: Propranolol, Inderal (propranolol)

SA strengths: 10 mg tablet · 40 mg tablet · 80 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Anxiety/migraine: commonly 40–80 mg BD; asthma caution.

Amlodipine

1 SA brand Schedule 5 ℹ

Blood pressure treatment — dizziness on standing may affect duties.

Brands: Amlodipine

SA strengths: 5 mg tablet · 10 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Dose per treating clinician script and package insert.

Enalapril

1 SA brand Schedule 5 ℹ

Blood pressure and heart failure drug — dry cough is a common side effect.

Brands: Enalapril

SA strengths: 5 mg tablet · 10 mg tablet · 20 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Dose per treating clinician script and package insert.

Losartan

1 SA brand Schedule 5 ℹ

Angiotensin receptor blocker for hypertension.

Brands: Losartan

SA strengths: 50 mg tablet · 100 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Commonly 50 mg daily; may increase to 100 mg.

Atorvastatin

1 SA brand Schedule 5 ℹ

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor for hyperlipidaemia.

Brands: Atorvastatin

SA strengths: 10 mg tablet · 20 mg tablet · 40 mg tablet · 80 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: 10–40 mg nocte per cardiovascular risk.

Aspirin

1 SA brand Schedule 0 ℹ

Reduces clot risk — bleeding precautions with surgery/injury.

Brands: Aspirin

SA strengths: 81 mg tablet · 300 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Dose per treating clinician script and package insert.

Warfarin

1 SA brand Schedule 5 ℹ

Blood thinner — bruising and bleeding risk; interacts with many drugs.

Brands: Warfarin

SA strengths: 1 mg tablet · 2 mg tablet · 5 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Dose per treating clinician script and package insert.

Rivaroxaban

1 SA brand Schedule 5 ℹ

Blood thinner — bruising and bleeding risk; interacts with many drugs.

Brands: Xarelto (rivaroxaban)

SA strengths: 10 mg tablet · 15 mg tablet · 20 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Dose per treating clinician script and package insert.

Apixaban

1 SA brand Schedule 5 ℹ

Blood thinner — bruising and bleeding risk; interacts with many drugs.

Brands: Eliquis (apixaban)

SA strengths: 2.5 mg tablet · 5 mg tablet

Typical SA dosing: Dose per treating clinician script and package insert.

Linked therapy

Session-based referrals — not medicines. Separate from linked medications above; still evidence for functional capacity and recovery. Therapy directory → · Not scheduled →^†

Physiotherapy (prescribed)

Physiotherapy Not scheduled ℹ

Prescribed rehabilitation for pain, injury, and mobility restoration.

Session formats: 30 min session · 45 min session · 60 min session

Typical plan: Usually 30–60 min sessions weekly to thrice weekly per referral.

Common causes or triggers

Typical precipitants seen in SA income-protection claims — hover labels for context; use ? for claim tips. ^†

Uncontrolled risk factors
Hypertension, smoking, diabetes, or dyslipidaemia — comorbidity management affects stamina and safety-critical roles.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated
Acute cardiac event
MI, arrhythmia, or heart failure decompensation — hospital records and cardiology letters are pivotal.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated
Multifactorial contributors
Genetic, environmental, and work factors often combine — build a chronology rather than a single cause label.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated

Comorbidities or complicating factors

Conditions that often overlap and amplify functional limits — pair with specialist reports and your functional matrix. ^†

Diabetes or renal disease
Cardiometabolic clustering — multiple specialist letters may be needed.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated
Overlapping conditions
Check for mood, sleep, pain, or metabolic comorbidity that amplifies functional limits.
Source: ClaimBuddy curated

References for therapy

Guideline themes and evidence sources to pair with your treating plan — for claims context, not prescribing advice.^†

Hypertension — lifestyle and medicines NICE NG136

Weight, sodium, exercise, and adherence — some antihypertensives cause dizziness affecting safety duties.

Open reference ↗
Independent medical examination (IME) context ClaimBuddy curated

Assessor is not your treating doctor — prepare material duties, chronology, and treating specialist reports separately.

References & footnotes

ICD-10 code and condition label follow WHO ICD-10 classification. WHO ICD-10
Work-impact notes describe functional themes insurers probe — pair with material-duty mapping in your claim file. ClaimBuddy curated
Condition–medication links are therapeutic associations common in SA income-protection claims, not mandatory treatment pathways. MIMS / SA package inserts; ClaimBuddy curated
Specialist and assessor roles are typical for this condition in SA income-protection claims — not an exhaustive list of who may treat you. ClaimBuddy curated
Linked therapies are common non-drug interventions — cross-referenced to atlas therapy pages; insurer funding may differ from clinical appropriateness. ClaimBuddy curated
Therapy references summarise guideline themes for claims context — not prescribing advice; pair with your treating clinician's plan. MIMS / SA package inserts; ClaimBuddy curated
Causes, triggers, and comorbidity notes are claims-context summaries — not diagnostic criteria; pair with treating records and specialist opinion. WHO ICD-10; ClaimBuddy curated

Where this data comes from

ClaimBuddy collates SA-market brand names and strengths for intake — always verify against your script and clinician.

WHO ICD-10 — Condition names and ICD-10-CM codes in the condition index.
SAHPRA — South African medicine registration context; brand products must be SAHPRA-registered to be dispensed.
MIMS / SA package inserts — Registered strengths, formulations, and typical dosing ranges for SA market products.
SA Essential Medicines List (EML) — Public-sector formulary context for commonly available strengths.
ClaimBuddy curated — SA brand name collation from intake presets, claim-frequency mapping, and work-impact notes — not a substitute for prescribing information.

Language map — diagnosis vs incapacity →

Sentrix Digital, Melbourne · ABN 29 203 554 753. Not medical, legal, or financial advice. Organisation and drafting only. Verify with treating practitioners, the PDS, and the trustee/insurer. Australian complaints: insurer/trustee IDR, then AFCA. · info@sentrixdigital.com · +61 (03) 9088 1341 · Admin login