The second Saturday in September is World AFib Awareness Day. When that message arrived from KU Med it hit home with me because I have dealt with Atrial Fibrillation for about 20 years.
AFib is the most common type of irregular heartbeat. It occurs when one or both of the upper chambers of the heart – called the atria – don’t beat the way they should. This can cause blood to pool in the left atrium, where a blood clot can form. If that clot breaks away, it can travel to the brain, where it can cause a stroke.
AFib won’t kill you, but a stroke can, so those of us with AFib pay a lot of attention to our blood thickness. A scary fact is that 1/3 of people with AFib will have a stroke at some point.
AFib affects more than 2.7 million people in the United States. The odds of developing AFib go up with age. Amazingly, some people have AFib, but experience no symptoms.
Some of the most prevalent symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation are:
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Racing, irregular heartbeat
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Fluttering in the chest
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Heart palpitations
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Dizziness
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Weakness
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Chest pain
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Shortness of breath
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Sweating
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Fatigue when exercising
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Faintness
