Heart Condition More Common Than First Believed
A recent study reveals that the number of Americans affected by atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), a potentially harmful heart rhythm disorder, is significantly higher than previously estimated. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) now estimate that 10.5 million U.S. adults, or 5% of the population, have A-Fib. This is more than triple the earlier estimates of around 3.3 million, which had not been updated in over two decades.
Dr. Gregory Marcus, a cardiologist at UCSF, noted that the previous estimates significantly underestimated the true prevalence of A-Fib. Researchers suggest that the aging population, along with rising rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity, have contributed to the increase in cases over the past decade.
A-Fib causes irregular beating in the upper chambers of the heart, leading to the pooling of blood and an increased risk of clot formation, which can result in stroke. People with untreated A-Fib face a fivefold increase in stroke risk and double the risk of heart-related death. Dr. Jean Jacques Noubiap, another UCSF researcher, emphasized that A-Fib also raises the risk of heart failure, heart attack, kidney disease, dementia, and can reduce the quality of life.
The study, which analyzed medical records of nearly 30 million California residents between 2005 and 2019, found that the percentage of people diagnosed with A-Fib rose from 4.5% to 6.8% over time. Researchers estimate that 10.5 million Americans now live with the condition, a number that could increase as wearable devices become more widely used to detect A-Fib.
Published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the findings highlight the growing prevalence of A-Fib and the importance of early detection and treatment to prevent serious health complications.
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