THE HEALTH | OCTOBER , 2023

Diagnostic and ablation catheters are two common tools doctors use to detect and treat AFib .

BY ERICA SWEENEY

She ’ d never experienced anything like it , though .“ It was pretty significant ,” says the 55-year-old , and she considered pulling over on her drive back to work .“ But while it wasn ’ t getting better , it also wasn ’ t getting worse , and I thought I could manage through it and get back to my office .”

But then her Apple Watch alerted her that her heart rate was high .“ I knew something was up . It was a scary feeling .”

Foster made an appointment with her doctor immediately and was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation ( AFib ), a type of cardiac arrhythmia - that is , an abnormal heart rhythm - that occurs in the upper chambers of the heart , known as the atria .

AFib is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia and is a progressive disease ; if left untreated , it worsens over time . When your heart beats irregularly , blood can ’ t move through the body as effectively . This can lead to a host of problems , like blood clots , stroke or heart failure .

While Foster was at genetic risk for AFib ( her dad had the heart condition ) and she previously had deep vein thrombosis , a type of blood clot , after having surgery , the diagnosis was still shocking , since she always tested normal on EKGs and saw a cardiologist regularly .

Across the globe , more and more people are developing AFib , so much so that it ’ s considered an epidemic in the making .

Today , more than 37.5 million people worldwide are affected by AFib , and about one in four adults over 40 are at risk of developing the condition at some point in their lives . By 2050 , it ’ s predicted that AFib cases will increase by more than 60 per cent .

That ’ s why innovation in AFib treatment and diagnostics is more important than ever . Among the newest AFib innovations , developed by Biosense Webster , a Johnson & Johnson MedTech company , are diagnostic catheters that help doctors see inside the heart and ablation catheters , which help doctors treat arrhythmia and restore the heart to a normal rhythm . Continued advancements help physicians deliver safer , more effective procedures than in the past . This keeps AFib from progressing and ensures that people like Foster can enjoy a healthy quality of life . For World Heart Day , here are five things to know about the disease , plus high-tech advances aimed at changing how AFib is diagnosed and treated . 1 . Many people don ’ t realise they have

AFib AFib symptoms may vary depending on the person , says Michael Porter , M . D ., an electrophysiologist with Heart Care Centers of Illinois , who is affiliated with Biosense Webster .

The most common symptom of AFib is heart palpitations , sometimes described as skipped heartbeats , butterflies in the chest , a pounding sensation , chest pain and a racing heart . Other symptoms include fatigue , shortness of breath , dizziness and anxiety .

Yet 15 per cent to 30 per cent of people with AFib don ’ t feel any symptoms at all .

“ AFib can fly under the medical radar ,” says Brett Gidney , M . D ., an electrophysiologist at the University of California , Los Angeles Health , who is affiliated with Biosense Webster . Often , people don ’ t know they have the condition until they see their doctor about another problem , such as experiencing a stroke .

Women are more likely to experience vague symptoms like fatigue , weakness and anxiety when they have AFib , which may make it tricky to notice that something is wrong . And , Dr Porter has found , some patients may write off their symptoms as stress-related and might not seek treatment right away .

Any heart rate fluctuations , shortness of breath or fatigue that comes out of nowhere are warning signs that shouldn ’ t be ignored , Dr Gidney explains . If you have any of these symptoms or have risk factors for AFib , it ’ s a good idea to get screened , and always stay up-to-date on your routine physicals . 2 . There are three types of AFib Not all cases of AFib are the same : Irregular heartbeats associated with the disease can occur at different frequencies and last for varied lengths of time . Some people only experience abnormal heart rhythms sporadically , Dr Porter notes , while others experience them every day .

Paroxysmal AFib refers to brief events that might come and go with or without symptoms . The events usually stop within 24 hours but may last up to a week . In some cases , the symptoms may go away on their