At Boston Atrial Fibrillation Symposium 2010, Dr. Andrea Russo talked about gender differences in atrial fibrillation treatment, including catheter ablation, as well as women and the risk of stroke from afib.
Watch the video:
Interview with Dr. Andrea Russo at Boston Atrial Fibrillation Symposium 2010
Urgent coordinated action is needed to avoid the thousands of preventable strokes that leave many atrial fibrillation (AF) patients mentally and physically disabled or dead every year. A report, How Can We Avoid a Stroke Crisis?, was launched today in the European Parliament in Brussels by Action for Stroke Prevention, a group of health experts from across Europe.
It proposes measures to tackle stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (afib), the most common, sustained abnormal heart rhythm and a major cause of stroke. Their proposal, endorsed by 17 leading European medical professional and patient organizations, calls for EU policy makers and Member State governments to act before the increasing frequency of these strokes becomes a major public health crisis.
StopAfib.org is proud to be one of the 17 organizations involved in and endorsing this report.
To learn more, read: Action for Stroke Prevention Launches New Health Report Exposing Imminent Risk of a Stroke Crisis in Europe
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
A new study reports that blood levels of a protein hormone called N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) predicts new atrial fibrillation, regardless of other afib risk factors. Those with the highest levels were four times as likely to develop afib as those with the lowest levels. In the study, elevated levels of NT-proBNP occurred as much as 16 years before the onset of atrial fibrillation. Tests for NT-proBNP are available today, but are mainly used for screening for heart failure and heart disease.
To learn more, read: Study Finds Major Predictor for Development of New Atrial Fibrillation (AF)
We know that more men than women have atrial fibrillation, but that women have a higher rate of strokes and death. In fact, women account for about 61% of stroke deaths.
Recent research at Rush University Medical Center identified nine specific gender differences between women and men who have atrial fibrillation. Those included that women have a higher incidence of stroke and death, higher risk of life-threatening arrhythmias due to hormones, sensitivity to statin drugs and others, and failure to receive blood thinners (Coumadin®, warfarin) and afib treatments such as ablation. Each difference has implications for the management and treatment of women with atrial fibrillation. Read more at:
Women with Atrial Fibrillation Have a Higher Risk of Stroke and Death
