When it comes to having a healthy heart , it’s important to not smoke, to exercise regularly, drink alcohol in moderation and eat heart-healthy foods such as almonds, beans, oranges and dark chocolate. That’s not all: Even having a pet can reduce your heart disease risk since it can decrease stress and increase your physical activity. Sleeping in on weekends is another fun and helpful practice since sleep reduces stress on the heart.
Considering heart disease is a leading cause of death, and that someone in the U.S. has a heart attack every 40 seconds , it goes without saying that paying attention to these suggestions is vital.
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One heart condition—atrial fibrillation, also known as Afib—is three times more common than researchers used to think, according to a September 2024 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology .
Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm in the heart’s upper chambers. The most common type of heart condition , it’s also a contributing factor in health conditions such as blood clots, stroke, heart attack, other heart issues and even dementia .
Related: Not Treating This Super-Common Heart Health Issue Is Correlated With up to a 42% Higher Risk of Dementia, According to New Research
The recent study merged California’s healthcare databases, specifically focusing on adults 20 years and older, from 2005 to 2019. Of the 29,250,310 patients, the average age was a little over 50, and a little over half of the patients were women and white.
The study found that 6.8 percent of those patients had an Afib diagnosis. That’s over 10.5 million adults—a number that’s almost three times higher than the previous estimate they had: 3.3 million.
Signs, Risk Factors and Treatments for Atrial Fibrillation
Symptoms of Afib include a fast heartbeat, chest pain, dizziness, fatigue, lightheadedness, a reduced ability to exercise, shortness of breath and weakness, though some people may not notice any symptoms. Risk factors include a family history of AFib, high blood pressure , thyroid disease and more.
Related: This Simple Test Could Predict Heart Attack and Stroke Risk 30 Years in Advance, Says Huge New Study
To treat Afib , healthcare providers may encourage lifestyle changes, such as exercise and stress management; medicines, such as beta-blockers or blood thinners; surgery; or treatment for an underlying disorder, such as sleep apnea. To reduce your risk, keep on with the heart health practices listed in the intro.
While atrial fibrillation is more common than previously thought, the steps to prevent it are pretty much the same as ones you may already take for your heart health.
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Related: This Is the #1 Sign That Someone Has a Healthy Heart, According to Cardiologists
Sources
- Keep Your Heart Healthy , U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Heart Disease Facts , CDC
- Minimum National Prevalence of Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation Inferred From California Acute Care Facilities , Journal of the American College of Cardiology
- Afib , Cleveland Clinic
- What Is Atrial Fibrillation? , American Heart Association
- Atrial Fibrillation and Dementia: A Report From the AF-SCREEN International Collaboration , Circulation
- Atrial fibrillation , Mayo Clinic
- Atrial Fibrillation Treatment , National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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