Atrial fibrillation promotes stroke

Atrial fibrillation can trigger a stroke

04/04/2012

According to experts, atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. The risk of developing it increases exponentially with age. Many sufferers take the flicker, however, was not even. Therefore, cardiologists recommend to have check-ups performed, because atrial fibrillation promotes severe strokes.

Atrial fibrillation is often associated with other heart diseases
Those affected report sudden respiratory distress, rising heat in the head and a feeling of pressure in the chest. There is also an unpleasant, frightening tachycardia. Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, affecting about one million Germans. What many sufferers do not know - their risk of stroke increases drastically.

„The risk of atrial fibrillation increases exponentially with age“, explains Professor Andreas Götte from the Competence Network Atrial Fibrillation. He assumes that the number of people affected will triple within the next 20 years. In the age group of over 60-year-olds are about four percent affected by atrial fibrillation. Between the ages of 80 and older, between 20 and 25 percent suffered, says Götte.

The main risk factor is therefore the age. There are also pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes or hyperthyroidism, which also greatly increase the likelihood of atrial fibrillation. In many cases, cardiac arrhythmia is associated with other basic diseases of the heart. „Atrial fibrillation is a kind of attrition, so to speak, "explains Professor Thomas Meinertz of the German Heart Foundation in Frankfurt.

Heart flicker occurs in irregular episodes
In atrial fibrillation, both atria can no longer fulfill their actual function. They no longer contract regularly but only flicker. That's why the heart chambers have to work more. This often causes those affected to feel that their heart is beating irregularly and too fast. But a majority of patients do not even experience atrial fibrillation. „Atrial fibrillation is associated with a lower ventricular rate in old age and is therefore less commonly recognized. "Meinertz reports that as the atria are normally responsible for around a quarter of the total cardiac output, this is very dangerous, especially for those with a weaker heart who depend on functioning atria. „If you are over 60 years old and belong to the risk group, you should take regular check-ups, "advises Meinertz. „Temporary or paroxysmal atrial fibrillation can eventually become permanent atrial fibrillation, "added Heribert Brück from the Association of Registered Cardiologists in Munich.

Then the risk of having a stroke is very high. If the blood in the atrium can no longer circulate, it will clot. The small clots can dissolve and migrate to the brain. A resulting stroke has a particularly poor cure prognosis, explains Brück.

Electric shocks and medications for heart flickering
With a therapy to ensure a regular heartbeat and the formation of blood clots are prevented. For the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias are used primarily drugs. „Even with electric shocks, the heart can be revived, "says Professor Sigmund Silber, chairman of the professional association of cardiologists in private practice that this is successful in 95 percent of cases and it is important to work on the causes Patients also need medication to prevent blood clotting, so-called catheter ablation will not be performed until the other therapies have been exhausted, and will obliterate the areas of the atria that cause fibrillation. „Catheter ablation is a complicated intervention, but it has very high success rates of more than 80 percent, "explains Götte.

Meinertz himself suffered from atrial fibrillation for 20 years and underwent ablation three times. He has been symptom free for more than six years. „Atrial fibrillation is a problem, but you can fix it, "he says from his own experience that a normal life is possible with atrial fibrillation, if there is no other heart disease.

German Heart Foundation advises over 75-year-olds to anticoagulants
Citing the guidelines of the European Society of Cardiologists, the German Heart Foundation in Frankfurt am Main reports that atrial fibrillation can be significantly reduced by taking anticoagulant drugs. Meinertz reports that around 30,000 strokes a year are caused by atrial fibrillation. About half would occur in patients over the age of 75 years. This group of patients had the highest risk of embolism and stroke, but at the same time the greatest benefit from anticoagulation was achieved.

The preventive use of anticoagulant drugs, but is also not without problems in the risk patients with known pre-existing disease. Because the preparations have some significant side effects. These include, for example, lighter bleeding with bruising (hematoma). However, these are usually harmless, but can also become a serious health risk if patients bleed from the urinary tract or in the stomach. In such cases, physicians must take countermeasures promptly so as not to endanger the patient's life. The preventive treatment with anticoagulants is therefore well balanced. (Ag)

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