People with irregular, rapid heart beat at risk of having stroke, says cardiologist

Dr Okechukwu Anthony, a Cardiologist based in Abuja, says people with irregular
and often very rapid heart rhythm (arrhythmia) are at increased risk of having stroke.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday that the condition, which is called Atrial fibrillation (A-fib),
can lead to blood clots and heart failure.

He said that A-fib increase the risk of not just stroke, but heart failure and other heart-related complications.

He added that “when the upper chambers of the heart (atria) do not pump efficiently, there would be a risk of blood clots forming.

“These blood clots may move into the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles) and get pumped into the blood supply to the lungs
or the general blood circulation.

“Clots in the general blood circulation can block arteries in the brain, causing stroke.

“A-fib increases the risk of a stroke by around five times. But the risk depends on several factors, including age and whether one
has high blood pressure, diabetes, or previous history of blood clots.”

The cardiologist said if a person’s A-fib is persistent, it may start to weaken the heart, adding that “in extreme cases, it can lead
to heart failure as the heart is unable to efficiently pump blood around body.”

Anthony that A-fib is generally not life-threatening, many people live normal healthy lives with the condition, “but it can be uncomfortable
and often needs treatment.

“The cause of A-fib is not fully understood, but it tends to occur in certain groups of people and may be triggered by certain situations,
such as drinking excessive amounts of alcohol or smoking.

“The condition can also affect adults of any age or gender but common the older you get, affects about 10 per cent of people
over 75 and common in men than women.”

According to him, treatment may involve medication to control the heart rate or rhythm, and medication to prevent clots
from forming in the blood. (NAN)