Published: 16 May 2022, at 05:00
Atrial fibrillation can increase the risk of another serious illness by almost three times.
This is shown by a recently published doctoral dissertation at the University of Gothenburg.
Why there is a connection is not entirely clear, but the researcher Lina Rydén – who led the dissertation – thinks she has the explanation.
– Some do not notice it, and therefore they do not know that they have it, says chief physician Marius Myrstad.
In addition:
• The symptoms to keep track of
• This is how you prevent
• Best treatment
Atrial fibrillation rarely occurs before the age of 50-60, but is common among the elderly. According to Marius Myrstad, who also researches atrial fibrillation, about 3.5 percent of the adult population is affected. Among 80-84-year-olds, the prevalence in men is 25 percent and almost 16 percent in women.
It is already known that atrial fibrillation increases the risk of stroke, and that stroke in turn increases the risk of dementia.