Patients diagnosed with new-onset, persistent AFib are more likely to have certain risk factors (Reduce body fat or BMI)

Medical Xpress / Cedars-Sinai Medical Center / Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology ^ | Feb. 22, 2024 | Melissa E. Middeldorp et al

[ConservativeMind]

Patients who present with persistent atrial fibrillation at diagnosis are more likely to have certain risk factors as compared with patients with occasional atrial fibrillation (AFib).

Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of arrhythmia.

"Once somebody has persistent AFib, our ability to put them back into a normal rhythm with ablation and medications is lower," said Christine Albert, MD, MPH.

This more recent study found that risk factors for new-onset, persistent AFib include being older, male, overweight, having a higher BMI (≥30 kg/m2), and, interestingly, having post-college education.

Investigators theorized that the association between higher levels of education and persistent AFib may be related to people with greater health literacy being able to access health care services more easily. This correlation is presumed to make those with higher education more likely than people with less education to receive an ECG, which can detect asymptomatic, persistent episodes of AFib.

The findings were released as part of a sub-analysis of the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL), an ongoing study investigating whether daily dietary supplements of vitamin D3 or omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, or stroke.

For this sub-analysis, investigators examined associations in lifestyle, clinical, and socioeconomic risk factors among more than 25,000 people without a history of cardiovascular disease, AFib, or cancer.

Over the course of 5.3 years, 900 participants developed AFib, and 346 (38.4%) had persistent AFib at the time of diagnosis.

"As cardiologists, we tend to think that we have some time, that we can intervene and prevent this particular type of atrial fibrillation," Albert said. "This data suggests a substantial percentage of patients present this way, so it's important to think about risk factor modification."

[ConservativeMind]

As the other associated factors are not really able to be changed, the one you can is to reduce your weight.

[ConservativeMind]

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[oldplayer]

Interesting, I don’t fit the profile of patients presented here. I DO fit the profile of life-long endurance athletes who ironically, are also at significant increased risk. I had an ablation 7 years ago. (No more issues thank goodness.)

[Tudorfly]

Dang. I should either lose weight or buy a Santa Claus outfit for my limited future Christmas seasons. Think I’ll go with the weight loss. Don’t need more Christmas clothes. And a less porky me will make Mrs. Claus happy. Win/win. Said the A-Fib guy. Thanks for posting this study.

[coalminersson]

I have a-fib and a watchman in my heart and a link monoitor in my chest If you want to post questions to me go ahead or we can exchange through Freep-Mail.