A newly published study shows obesity is a major risk factor for left atrial enlargement (LAE), a condition in which the left upper chamber of the heart is oversized. That’s important to people who are concerned about atrial fibrillation (AF) because LAE is a risk factor for afib, stroke and death.
Read more: Obesity Raises Risk of Left Atrial Enlargement, a Risk Factor for Atrial Fibrillation
This very important story may change how afib patients and their doctors decide if they should be on anticoagulant medications (blood thinners), such as Coumadin or warfarin.
The CHADS2 scoring system is how doctors now decide who should be on Coumadin or warfarin to avoid strokes, but a newly-published study adds new stroke risk factors that are not considered in CHADS2.
These new risk factors, including being female, having heart or vascular disease, and being age 65 or greater (CHADS2 uses 75 or greater), have been incorporated in a scoring system called the “2009 Birmingham Schema” (CHA2DS2-VASc). This new approach enhances the existing CHADS2 system, giving two points to definitive stroke risk factors and one point to combination stroke risk factors.
To learn more, read: New Stroke Risk Factors for Those with Atrial Fibrillation: Female Gender, Heart Disease, and Age
This September, StopAfib.org marks the third year of celebrating Atrial Fibrillation Month to raise awareness of atrial fibrillation (afib), an expensive and life-threatening irregular heartbeat that is a common cause of stroke.
StopAfib.org founder, Mellanie True Hills, knows the toll that atrial fibrillation takes on those with it and their families. After surviving blood clots and a near-stroke during her first afib episode, she lived in constant fear of her next, always wondering if a deadly stroke was inevitable. As a patient who was unable to stabilize on Coumadin® (warfarin), a challenging blood thinner that helps avoid strokes, she was frightened that she was “a stroke walking around waiting to happen.”
Once she was cured surgically of this common cardiac arrhythmia, she couldn’t stand on the sidelines and watch others suffer so she started StopAfib.org, for patients by patients. StopAfib.org helps those living the nightmare of atrial fibrillation.
Since afib frequently isn’t diagnosed until after a stroke, or two, and identifying the problem can be a multi-year process, she has a sense of urgency around raising awareness of atrial fibrillation that only an afib survivor can possess.
Learn more about Atrial Fibrillation Month and living with afib at:
September 2009 is Atrial Fibrillation Month: StopAfib.org patient resource raises awareness of expensive and life-threatening irregular heartbeat
Please help us with Afib Month in the following ways:
Stay tuned…there’s more coming. Let’s get some buzz going about atrial fibrillation this month. Thanks for your help in spreading the word about atrial fibrillation and helping to wipe out afib-related strokes.
Sleep apnea is an important risk factor for atrial fibrillation. It is also associated with hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke, diabetes, and insulin resistance, all of which are risk factors for, or results of, atrial fibrillation.
Now a new study has just reported that men between the ages of 40 and 70 who have severe sleep apnea have twice the risk of death as men without sleep apnea. Though women are probably also at increased risk, the study did not have enough women with sleep apnea to draw conclusions regarding an association between sleep apnea and death.
Sleep apnea is believed to impact about one in four men and one in ten women, and most are not aware that they have the problem. The article below contains very important information for both men and women with afib.
Read: Severe Sleep Apnea Doubles Risk of Death in Men — Implications for Those with Atrial Fibrillation
Recently there have been a number of new beta blocker and heart rate studies, some of which are contradictory. The findings from some of these recent studies may apply to those with atrial fibrillation:
Read about these studies at: Heart Rate and Beta Blocker Studies That May Impact Those with Atrial Fibrillation
Since many who have atrial fibrillation also have high blood pressure, this interesting new study out of Vanderbilt University Medical Center may be of value to know about.
This study finds that, contrary to the current U.S. hypertension guidelines, thiazide diuretics need to be combined with “potassium-sparing” drugs to reduce sudden cardiac death risk.
Read Caution for Those Being Treated for High Blood Pressure
