01.02.2011, 13:42 3548

People with irregular heartbeat are at risk of stroke

People who have irregular heatbeat are at high risk of suffering a stroke, the agency reports.

Almaty. February 1. Kazakhstan Today - People who have irregular heatbeat are at high risk of suffering a stroke, the agency reports.

Two out of three people do not know the warning signs of shortness of breath and palpitations, according to a new survey, Daily Mail reported.

Experts estimate that more than 4,000 strokes a year could be prevented by better awareness among the general public and doctors of the heart condition atrial fibrillation (AF).

It is the most common heart rhythm disturbance, affecting around 750,000 Britons and is a leading cause of stroke.

In AF the upper chambers of the heart are out of rhythm and beat much faster than normal, which allows blood to pool and generate tiny blood clots, which can trigger a stroke.

In a survey of over 1,000 members of the public and 1,000 GPs, two out of three people were unable to identify the symptoms of AF as a possible warning sign of a future stroke.

Four out of five family doctors confirmed that problems existed with the diagnosis, treatment and management of AF, said findings from the survey conducted for The Stroke Association by Ipsos MORI.

Over a third of GPs questioned (39 per cent) said a lack of public awareness of the condition was a significant issue, but half were worried about prescribing anticoagulant drugs such as Warfarin, which are used to treat patients with AF.

Although 76 per cent of GPs recognised stroke was a major consequence of atrial fibrillation, only 40 per cent said they would treat patients with Warfarin.

The most common symptom of atrial fibrillation is a fast and irregular heartbeat, usually over 140 beats a minute. However, other symptoms include heart palpitations, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, light headedness, fainting or fatigue.

Professor Gregory Y H Lip, expert on stroke prevention in AF and Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Birmingham said 'We could prevent around four and a half thousand people from having a devastating stroke every year if more people had greater awareness of AF and sought out the appropriate treatment from a medical professional.

'AF is the most common heart rhythm disorder, and all of us have a 1 in 4 lifetime risk of developing it.

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