By Rick Ansorge

An estimated 2.2 million Americans have atrial fibrillation (AF), an irregular heart rhythm in which the upper chambers of the heart, the atria, quiver rather than beating regularly.  This allows blood to pool in the heart, potentially forming clots that can later lead to stroke.

Although some people with AF never have any health problems associated with the disorder, many people have symptoms such as:

• Palpitations, a sensation of fluttering or pounding in the chest.
• Shortness of breath.
• Chest pain.
• Dizziness or fainting.
• Weakness or difficulty exercising.
• Fatigue.
• Confusion.

AF accounts for about 15 percent of strokes, and also increases the risk of heart attacks, heart failure, and sudden death.

Many risk factors are associated with AF, including increased age. You're more likely to develop the disorder after age 60. But recent research suggests that one of the most important risk factors is family history, and that up 30 percent of all people with AF have a close family member who also had the disorder.

At the 2010 American Heart Association meeting in Chicago, researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine presented a study showing that people with a close family member with AF have a 40 percent increased risk of developing the disorder. They also found that people with a close family member who developed AF before age 65 have a tripled risk of developing the disorder.

In a small percentage of the cases referred to as “familial atrial fibrillation,” there are mutations in one of several genes that play critical roles in maintaining the heart's normal rhythm. These include the KCNE2, KCNJ2, and KCNQ1 genes. If you suspect that you are at risk for familial AF, and want to undergo genetic testing, the National Institutes of Health offer a service to help you find a genetics professional in your area (http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/handbook/consult/findingprofessional). The results of such testing may give you added incentive to take control of your risk factors and/or undergo medical evaluation.

But it's important to remember that most AF cases aren't caused by a mutation in a single gene. Usually, the condition is related to structural abnormalities of the heart or underlying heart disease. Significant risk factors include:

• High blood pressure (hypertension).
• Diabetes.
• Previous stroke.
• Heart disease caused by high cholesterol (atherosclerosis).
• Damage to a heart valve.
• Overactive thyroid gland.
• Lung disease.
• Excessive alcohol use.
• Certain medications.

Prevention strategies for AF include lifestyle changes that improve your overall heart health and either prevent or treat conditions such as high blood pressure.

These include:

• Eating a heart-healthy diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
• Reducing salt intake.
• Increasing physical activity.
• Quitting smoking.
• Limiting or eliminating the use of alcohol and/or caffeine.

Treatment strategies for mild AF include medications to slow the heartbeat. Chronic AF may require electrical cardioversion – a treatment involving medication and electric shock – or long-term usage of blood-thinning medications such as aspirin or warfarin. In some cases, ablation surgery – which treats the malfunctioning area of the heart – may be necessary.

Life Line Screening offers a painless and simple test for the presence of absence of AF in which EKG electrodes are placed above your wrists and ankles: http://www.lifelinescreening.com/health-screening-services/stroke/atrial-fibrillation.aspx.

Learn more about atrial fibrillation heart rhythm screening.

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Sources
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/atrialfibrillation.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_105535.html
http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/familial-atrial-fibrillational fibrillation?
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/articles/775.printerview.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/atrial-fibrillation/DS00291