Editor’s Note: Atrial Fibrillation: A Major Risk Factor for Stroke
Most women are fearful of developing breast cancer, but atrial fibrillation is truly much scarier. Atrial fibrillation (AFib), which is an irregular beating of the atria (the upper chambers of the heart), is a frequent and silent cause of stroke. And strokes are far more likely to affect the quality of a woman’s life than breast cancer.
Strokes are caused when small pieces of plaque or blood clots break off from blood vessels in the heart or the neck, travel to the brain and cut off the blood supply to a certain area. That portion of the brain that is affected can rarely be recovered 100 percent, and any decrease in blood flow to the brain, even for a few seconds or minutes, can lead to a permanent disability, such as a paralyzed arm, leg or face, or an inability to speak. People over age 60 are at especially high risk of becoming disabled after a stroke.
So, what can you do to protect yourself?
AFib should be evaluated by a doctor. Symptoms include palpitations (pounding, fluttering, or racing heart), fainting, weakness, or even diminished exercise tolerance. The difficulty in diagnosing AFib is that of-ten, patients go in and out of this heart rhythm, so it frequently cannot be detected on a routine EKG. Even an overnight heart monitor may not reveal AFib if it’s infrequent.
Older age, existing heart disease, and high blood pressure increase the risk of AFib. Other factors that may contribute to a higher risk of AFib include a family history of the condition, hyperthyroidism, and excess alcohol consumption.
What you can do to help your physician diagnose AFib is to be aware of your pulse, and, if you notice irregularities, ask for a heart monitor test. An echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to produce images of the heart, also can be helpful. Also ask your physician for screening for AFib if you have other risks for vascular disease, such as hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia (abnormal cholesterol levels).
—Editor-in-Chief Orli R. Etigin
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