Simultaneous screening for hypertension and arrhythmia could prevent strokes

A group of 29 international experts says that simultaneous screening for hypertension and heart Arithmie could prevent thousands of strokes.

A recent review of experts emphasizes the strong link between hypertension (high blood pressure) and atrium fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a condition in which the heart beats irregularly and quickly, which can lead to the formation of blood clots in the heart. High blood pressure and atrial fibrillation are the most important risk factors for a stroke.

The main author of the report is a professor in internal medicine Teemu Niirans of the University of Turku, Finland, one of the leading experts in the field of hypertension in Europe. The assessment article was published in CirculationA prestigious magazine published by the American Heart Association.

Hypertension and atrial fibrillation are a dangerous combination – one leads to the other, and together they considerably increase the risk of stroke, heart failure and dementia. “

Teemu Niirans, Professor, University of Turku, Finland

Despite the connection between high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation, atrial fibrillation is not routinely screened in the same way as hypertension. This means that many cases go unnoticed until it’s too late. Professor Niirans and his co-authors ask for an urgent change in this practice.

“The combination of high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation is like a ticking time bomb. A simple pulse control or an automatic warning of an irregular heart rate on a blood pressure monitor can mean the difference between early treatment and a life -changing stroke,” says Niirans.

The study emphasizes that hypertension is not only common in atrial fibrillation patients, but it actually also contributes to the development of atrial fibrillation. Controlling high blood pressure can significantly reduce the chance of developing atrial fibrillation, which ultimately reduces the risk of serious cardiac and neurological complications.

“We already know that atrium fibrillation increases the risk of a five -fold stroertveld, but there is also growing evidence that it links to dementia, making the early detection even more important.”

Atrial fibrillation is the most common persistent rhythm disorder, but it is often asymptomatic and is not diagnosed until a person has a stroke.

Detecting atrium fibrillation is simple and can be done with:

• Puls checks – A simple pulse control of 30 seconds from the wrist or neck to detect an irregular heartbeat.
• Blood pressure monitors with irregular heartbeats – many modern devices have all this function.
• Portable ECG devices -Small portable ECG monitors or smartwatches that detect atrial fibrillation within a minute.

“By including atrial fibrillation screening in routine blood-pressure-separating, we can rather identify risk patients, start appropriate treatment and save lives,” concludes niirans.