For people with atrial fibrillation, having a stroke is a real risk. In fact, one in five people who have a stroke related to the condition die. But, alarmingly, a new report from a panel of experts shows that many Americans who suffer from atrial fibrillation are not getting the kind of quality healthcare they need to prevent such an outcome.
Atrial fibrillation—or Afib—occurs when the heart beats at an abnormal rhythm, the Los Angeles Times reported. According to the new report, about 2.6 million Americans already have the condition and many more are expected to develop Afib in the upcoming years. And with 20 percent of strokes being the result of Afib, that number is a concern.
The good news, however, is that strokes caused by atrial fibrillation are the easiest to prevent, Dro. Samuel Goldhaber of Harvard medical School says. Proper medication—such as the blood thinner warfarin and other anticoagulants—can significantly lower a patient’s risk of having a stroke. Positive lifestyle changes and a nutritious diet can also help increase patient health, Goldhaber said.
But 90 percent of people with Afib don’t receive these kinds of treatments, the Los Angeles Times reported. Warfarin is a difficult medication to use and new alternatives to the drug, such as dabigitran, have been linked to slightly higher risks of heart attack. Goldhaber says it is up to doctors to correct these trends and make decisions that will keep patients healthy.
“We as physicians must balance this excess in heart attack] with the stroke reduction and head-bleed reduction,” he said. “The novel oral anticoagulants are going to provide us with more choices, more convenience and less intracranial hemorrhage.”
