If you’re looking for a group of folks who have the kind of atrial fibrillation that you do, check out the StopAfib.org discussion forums. If you are a young afibber, or have valvular afib or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and afib, or if you’re interested in afib and exercise, afib and pregnancy, afib and sleep apnea, or other special topics, join a group to discuss your common concerns.

If you’re looking for a local support group, you’ll find those, too. We have, or are starting up, local support group discussions for:

• Portland, OR
• Phoenix, AZ and the Southwest
• Dallas-Ft. Worth
• Boston

If you’d like to start a group for your locale, just let us know.

Find out more at:  StopAfib.org Discussion Forums Provide Special Interest Topics and Local Support Groups

Tags: Exercise, Patient Stories, Sleep Apnea, Support, Treatment by Mellanie
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Sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that disrupts breathing during sleep, is believed to be linked to atrial fibrillation (AF) but until now, we didn’t know if apnea could actually trigger arrhythmias like afib. Now a new study shows the odds of having an abnormal heartbeat are 18 times higher immediately after an apnea episode, compared to the risk during normal sleep breathing.

Read: Sleep Apnea Multiplies Risk of Arrhythmias Like Atrial Fibrillation

Tags: Causes or Triggers, Prevention, Sleep Apnea, Study, Treatment by Mellanie
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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:

• Contact Us to alert us to any special Afib Month events so we can post them to the Atrial Fibrillation Month Events Calendar
• Tell others about afib and where to learn more
• If you know a journalist or reporter that can help spread the word, or if you, or someone you know, has a blog that can help, please Contact Us so we can arrange something
• Bring attention to Atrial Fibrillation Month by bookmarking this story at your favorite bookmarking sites — it’s easy, just by clicking on the “Share” button below you can select your favorite bookmarking sites
• Let us know what stories you see about afib this month

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.

Tags: Advocacy, Events, General, High blood pressure, Mellanie True Hills, Prevention, Sleep Apnea by Mellanie
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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

Tags: Causes or Triggers, High blood pressure, Prevention, Sleep Apnea, Symptoms, Treatment by Mellanie
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