Risk of early death While both men and women are more at risk of early death if they suffer atrial fibrillation, the researchers found that women with the condition were almost twice as likely to die as women without it. Dr Benjamin's team found that atrial fibrillation increased the risk of death even when other conditions were taken into account Atrial fibrillation causes the upper chambers of the heart to beat rapidly and irregularly, sometimes at more than 300 beats per minute. Blood is not pumped efficiently to the lower chambers of the heart, and poor blood flow can cause blood clots to form if the condition persists. Clots cause stroke Clots can enter the blood circulation system and travel to the brain, where they could cause stroke. Atrial fibrillation can, however, be successfully treated.
Doctors can use drugs such as beta-blockers or digitalis to regulate the heartbeat.
If this fails, patients can be anaesthetised while electricity is applied to the heart to re-establish normal heart rhythm. Medicines that thin the blood can also be taken to prevent clots causing damage. Dr Benjamin called for greater effort to treat and prevent atrial fibrillation. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.