What is atrial fibrillation? How to prevent atrial fibrillation

According to the survey, about one-sixth of stroke patients are caused by atrial fibrillation, I think everyone still doesn't know much about atrial fibrillation, his full name should be atrial fibrillation, but also a heart disease, then, we want to prevent stroke to understand atrial fibrillation and effectively prevent and avoid tragedy, so, what does atrial fibrillation refer to?How to prevent atrial fibrillation.

1. How to prevent atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is a persistent arrhythmia, which accounts for 10% of people over the age of 75.

Atrial fibrillation, referred to as atrial fibrillation, is also a relatively common sustained arrhythmia, with a frequency of 300~600 beats/min. Atrial fibrillation attacks are common such as palpitation, dizziness, shortness of breath and chest discomfort, and sometimes combined with autonomic dysfunction such as sweating and increased urination, although there are also "normal" conditions that do not feel any discomfort at all.

Atrial fibrillation is a geriatric disease that increases with age, reaching up to 10% of people over the age of 75. However, in recent years, there has been an increase in the number of young and middle-aged patients in outpatient clinics. "In addition to age factors, the incidence of atrial fibrillation is also closely related to many factors such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, cardiomyopathy and heart failure, as well as alcohol consumption, mental stress, metabolic disorders and infections, especially hypertension and heavy drinking!" In other words, when a patient has the above conditions, the probability of atrial fibrillation is higher than that of a normal person. It can be seen that the prevention and treatment of atrial fibrillation is not a simple matter and needs to be considered comprehensively. ”

The "high risk" of atrial fibrillation is hidden in the body, which is more likely to induce stroke, high blood pressure and ventilation.

"It is worth being vigilant that the 'high risk' is often hidden in the body, and the blood is easy to stagnate in the atrium and form a thrombus when the blood clot falls off, and when the thrombus falls off, it can flow with the blood to all parts of the body, and there will be corresponding symptoms where it is blocked, such as the most common stroke, which can also lead to myocardial infarction, renal embolism and lower limb artery embolism." Dr. Wang said.

Statistics show that 20% of stroke patients in China are caused by atrial fibrillation, which is also an important cause of thromboembolic complications, inducing and aggravating heart failure. "Patients with atrial fibrillation have a four-to-five-fold increase in the incidence of stroke, and the disease tends to be more severe – meaning longer hospital stays, higher rates of disability and mortality," says Dr. Wang, citing stroke as an example.”

It is worth mentioning that atrial fibrillation is also one of the common comorbidities of hypertensive patients, so blood pressure control is particularly important to prevent atrial fibrillation. At the same time, it has also been found that the accumulation of uric acid caused by gout can not only cause joint pain, but also contribute to the occurrence and development of atrial fibrillation. A large-scale clinical study from the United Kingdom found that the risk of atrial fibrillation was significantly increased in the gout group compared with normal people. Therefore, once gout is diagnosed, especially in older patients or patients with pre-existing risk factors for atrial fibrillation, they should closely observe their usual behavior, if anypalpitation, dizziness, chest discomfort, shortness of breath, can go to the hospital for examination and evaluation, such as electrocardiogram, echocardiography, chest X-ray and laboratory tests.

Exacerbated episodes of atrial fibrillation can become increasingly difficult to treat, and prevention is crucial.

Once atrial fibrillation occurs, the structural and electrical remodeling of the atrium will occur as the condition continues to worsen, and the enlargement of the atria will exacerbate the onset of atrial fibrillation, which means that it is more and more difficult to treat, so it is very important to prevent it. Let's take a look at how to do it:

First of all, develop good habits and maintain a happy state of mind. Everyone should develop good living habits and be emotionally stable.

Secondly, avoid long-term heavy alcohol consumption, limit the consumption of caffeinated diets, such as tea, coffee, cola and some over-the-counter medications, and be cautious about the use of certain cough or cold medications;

Third, it is necessary to control the relevant risk factors, such as hypertension and diabetes.

2. Keep your heart healthy

1. Perfect sleep time

Sleeping too little increases the risk of heart disease by 48%, while sleeping too much increases the risk of heart disease by 38%, and the perfect sleep time is 7~8 hours.

2 snuggle

Snuggling up to your significant other, by releasing oxytocin (also known as the "hugging hormone"), is a much less stressful experience, which helps lower blood pressure. In addition, when hugging, the sensation of the skin activates the pressure receptor "Pacini body", which then sends a signal to the vagus nerve region of the brain, which has a major effect on lowering blood pressure.

A new study from North Carolina State University in the United States has found that hugging a loved one regularly is good for heart health. Participants who did not have any contact with their partner had an increased heart rate by 10 beats per minute, while those who hugged their partner had a heart rate increase by only 5 beats per minute.

3. Laugh and smile

Laughing every day can significantly increase the level of "good cholesterol" (HDL cholesterol) in the patient's body and reduce the risk of heart attack, which also reaffirms the saying that "laughter is good medicine". Another ring-opening laugh increases vasodilation by 22%, which increases blood flow and lowers blood pressure.Another study on laughter and heart recurrence found that watching 30 minutes of comedy a day reduced the risk of heart recurrence.

4. Put down the remote control

The researchers noted that watching TV for 1 hour a day increased the risk of death from heart disease by 7% and watching TV for 4 hours a day increased the risk of heart disease by 28%.

5. Have a pet

The American Heart Association released a report saying that owning pets, especially dogs, may reduce the risk of heart disease. According to research published in Circulation, owning pets can also prolong the life of people with heart disease. Researchers have found that having pets can also lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce obesity, and that pets also have a positive effect on the body's ability to cope with stress. 6. Bask in the sun

A new study published by the BBC shows that the benefits of sunlight may far outweigh the harms, and that ultraviolet rays can help lower blood pressure and stabilize it, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

7. Get married

Some experts say that if you don't want to have heart disease, then get married quickly. Studies have shown that married people have a 5% lower risk of any cardiovascular disease than single people, 3% lower than widowed people, and 5% lower risk than divorced people. For those under the age of 50, marriage is very beneficial.Married people under the age of 50 have a 12% lower risk of heart disease than single people of the same age.

8. Avoid traffic noise

Studies have shown that for every 10 decibels of road traffic noise, the risk of heart attack increases by 12%.

9. Visit the water dispenser

Studies have confirmed that sitting for a long time increases the risk of heart disease, and for office workers, visiting the water dispenser from time to time can not only change the sedentary state, but also ensure water intake, which is beneficial to physical and mental health.

10. Eat a vegetarian diet

A study from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom found that vegetarians were 32% less likely to be hospitalized or die from heart disease than those who ate meat, because vegetarians had lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels than non-vegetarians.