If you're over forty, listen up. New research shows that you're at risk for a common heart rhythm problem. Healthcast Reporter Janet Wu has more on atrial fibrillation and finding out if you have it.
Robert Dell was only in his 40's, when his heart started racing.
Robert Dell, Atrial Fibrillation Patient
"The initial symptoms that I had was a very rapid heart beat and complete exhaustion."
No one would expect him to have heart problems.
Robert Dell, Atrial Fibrillation Patient
"I was rather athletic when I was younger, I used to be a distance runner."
But new research shows that turning the big four-O hikes your risk for atrial fibrillation. One of every four people over 40 will develop the heart problem.
Normally a controlled electrical discharge contracts the heart's upper atria chamber, which pumps blood to the lower ventricle chambers and out to the rest of the body.
Atrial fibrillation causes a rapid and uncontrolled electrical discharge. The chambers don't contract, they quiver.
This increases the risk of blood clots that can travel to the brain causing a stroke. Atrial fibrillation causes up to 20 percent of all strokes.
Dr. Grant Simmons, Cardiologist
"A lot of patients with atrial fibrillation are in fact asymptomatic, meaning they don't have symptoms."
There is an easy way to check for the problem by feeling your pulse. It should be steady and even. If it's fast or irregular, you could have atrial fibrillation, which affects about two million Americans.
Dr. Grant Simmons, Cardiologist
"Many of those patients, if we knew they had it would be giving them stroke prevention therapy, either aspirin or coumadin."
There are simple treatments. The American Heart Association recommends that you have your doctor check your pulse every year, especially when you reach 40. Barring other health problems, this can be done at your regular yearly checkup.
