15
Special Function (cont.)
About Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is a common heart rhythm problem. It
affects more than 2 million people in North America. It
is more common in older age and it is found in 10% of
people over 80 years old. It is a common cause of major
strokes. About 15% of all strokes are caused by atrial
fibrillation.
The elderly or those with high blood pressure, diabetes or
heart disease are more likely to get a stroke if they have
atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation is a rhythm problem that can last from
a few minutes, to days, weeks or even years. Atrial
fibrillation can cause blood clots in the upper chambers
of the heart (the atria). These clots can break off and flow
to the brain causing a stroke.
The use of blood thinners, such as warfarin, can lower the
risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.
A doctor can confirm the presence of Afib by using an ECG.
Sometimes Afib is present incidentally. Therefore, a doctor
may not see it on regularly scheduled visits.
One method of detecting Afib is by mean of palpations.
This method is not very reliable. Failure of detecting Afib
may in the end lead to the occurrence of a stroke; whereas
early detection may lead to early treatment that can
significantly reduce the chances of a stroke.
