Atrial fibrillation can lead to stroke

The right treatment for atrial fibrillation can save lives. If the disease is not treated, the risk of stroke increases significantly.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. In Switzerland, about 100,000 people are affected. Some experience an unpleasant racing or pounding heart, shortness of breath or a drop in performance. Others notice little, with them only the pulse is irregular or too fast. "In and of itself, atrial fibrillation poses no immediate danger," says Professor Hildegard Tanner, a cardiologist at Inselspital in Bern, "but if left untreated, it can have serious consequences."

Strongly increased risk of cerebral stroke
Particularly dreaded is the cerebral apoplexy. Blood flow is slowed in the fibrillating atria. This can cause blood clots to form, which are washed away and block vessels in the brain. The risk of stroke is five to eight times higher in untreated atrial fibrillation, and mortality is twice as high as in a stroke that is not triggered by atrial fibrillation.

Treatment saves lives
"Consistent treatment of atrial fibrillation not only improves patients' quality of life, it also saves lives," says Hildegard Tanner. Preventing a stroke with anticoagulant drugs, also known as "blood thinners," is central. They prevent the dangerous blood clots. In addition, there are numerous treatment methods to bring the heart rhythm back into sync. The Swiss Heart Foundation is holding a series of public lectures to explain the connection between atrial fibrillation and the risk of stroke, as well as the treatment options.

Locations and dates:
Baden (March 23), Sursee (April 19), Kreuzlingen (May 24), Biel (June 28), Yverdon-les-Bains (August 24), Lugano (September 14) and Geneva (October 12), each from 6:30 p.m. to approximately 8 p.m.

More details under: www.swissheart.ch/veranstaltungen