Presidential candidates Joe Biden and Michael Bloomberg have released doctors’ letters saying that they have atrial fibrillation (AF), an irregular heartbeat that quintuples risk for stroke and doubles it for heart attack and dementia. Both men are 77, take heart medications and are being treated for several medical conditions, but they have been pronounced healthy and fit for office by their medical providers.
Rates of AF have quadrupled in the U.S. over the past 50 years — and the disorder was recently described as a “global epidemic” in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation. Yet this heart arrhythmia is potentially preventable, often with simple lifestyle changes. Here’s a look at the latest research and a new blood test that checks for a genetic variant that greatly increases your risk of developing this serious, but treatable, disorder.
AF is the most common type of heart arrhythmia, affecting up to 6.1 million Americans. It occurs when the heart’s two upper chambers (the atria) develop chaotic electrical signals. This causes the atria to squeeze very quickly in a disorganized rhythm and get out of sync with the two lower chambers (the ventricles).
AF causes blood to pool in the heart, which may cause blood clots. If a clot travels to an artery in the brain, a stroke can result. Up to 20 percent of strokes occur in people with AF. Similarly, if a clot obstructs one of the arteries that supply the heart, the result can be a heart attack. People with AF are also at increased risk for heart failure, dementia and sudden cardiac death, particularly if their disorder goes undiagnosed and untreated.
AF is most common in older adults — and the aging of the population is one of the main reasons why rates of this disorder are on the rise. It’s also more likely to strike people who have cardiovascular disease (CVD). For example, Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, has CVD that was treated in 2000 with the placement of two stents to prop open obstructed heart arteries, according to his doctor’s report.
Genes also play a role. People with a genetic variant called 4q25 have a 140 percent higher risk for AF and 130 percent high risk for strokes caused by blood clots originating in the heart (cardiothrombotic stroke), compared to noncarriers of this gene. About one in three people carry the 4q25 genetic variant. The gene can be detected with a simple blood test, available at medical labs all over the U.S. if ordered by a medical provider.
Based on the recent studies, the BaleDoneen Method recommends the test for people with any of the following red flags for increased risk of developing AF:
The same strategies that help keep your heart healthy can also cut your risk for AF, such as exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding nicotine use or exposure and eating a heart-healthy diet. Recent studies also reveal other simple strategies to keep AF at bay:
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