Common blood pressure drug may increase risk of bleeding
People with an irregular heart rhythm taking a common blood pressure drug may be at greater risk of serious bleeding, according to a study recently published in JAMA.
Jun 21, 2024
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People with an irregular heart rhythm taking a common blood pressure drug may be at greater risk of serious bleeding, according to a study recently published in JAMA.
Jun 21, 2024
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Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common heart rhythm disorder, have a higher than expected risk of developing some forms of dementia, a new study has found.
Jun 5, 2024
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The shape of the heart cavities and the angle at which the pulmonary veins reach them are not always the same; rather, they vary according to the anatomical characteristics of each subject. Recently, research by UPF and the ...
May 28, 2024
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Regular use of fish oil supplements might increase—rather than lessen—the risk of first-time heart disease and stroke among those in good cardiovascular health, but may slow progression of existing poor cardiovascular ...
May 21, 2024
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An artificial intelligence program developed by investigators in the Smidt Heart Institute and their Cedars-Sinai colleagues can detect a type of abnormal heart rhythm that can go unnoticed during medical appointments, according ...
May 7, 2024
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Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia worldwide with around 59 million people concerned in 2019. This irregular heartbeat is associated with increased risks of heart failure, dementia and stroke. It constitutes ...
Apr 22, 2024
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The lifetime risk of atrial fibrillation (a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate) has increased from one in four to one in three over the past two decades, finds a study from Denmark ...
Apr 17, 2024
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Physician–scientists from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine led a nationwide genetic study examining the role of genetic mutations in the Titin, TTN, gene in Black individuals. ...
Mar 18, 2024
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A multidisciplinary team of investigators has engineered a more accurate model for studying the mechanisms underlying atrial fibrillation and its response to treatment, according to findings published in Science Advances.
Feb 26, 2024
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Having a heart attack significantly increases the risk of developing other serious long-term health conditions, a major new study shows.
Feb 16, 2024
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Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) and involves the two upper chambers (atria) of the heart. Its name comes from the fibrillating (i.e. quivering) of the heart muscles of the atria, instead of a coordinated contraction. It can often be identified by taking a pulse and observing that the heartbeats don't occur at regular intervals. However, a conclusive indication of AF is the absence of P waves on an electrocardiogram (ECG), which are normally present when there is a coordinated atrial contraction at the beginning of each heart beat. Risk increases with age, with 8% of people over 80 having AF.
In AF, the normal electrical impulses that are generated by the sinoatrial node are overwhelmed by disorganized electrical impulses that originate in the atria and pulmonary veins, leading to conduction of irregular impulses to the ventricles that generate the heartbeat. The result is an irregular heartbeat which may occur in episodes lasting from minutes to weeks, or it could occur all the time for years. The natural tendency of AF is to become a chronic condition. Chronic AF leads to a small increase in the risk of death.
Atrial fibrillation is often asymptomatic, and is not in itself generally life-threatening, but may result in palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or congestive heart failure. People with AF usually have a significantly increased risk of stroke (up to 7 times that of the general population). Stroke risk increases during AF because blood may pool and form clots in the poorly contracting atria and especially in the left atrial appendage (LAA). The level of increased risk of stroke depends on the number of additional risk factors. If a person with AF has none, the risk of stroke is similar to that of the general population. However, many people with AF do have additional risk factors and AF is a leading cause of stroke.
Atrial fibrillation may be treated with medications which either slow the heart rate or revert the heart rhythm back to normal. Synchronized electrical cardioversion may also be used to convert AF to a normal heart rhythm. Surgical and catheter-based therapies may also be used to prevent recurrence of AF in certain individuals. People with AF are often given anticoagulants such as warfarin to protect them from stroke.
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