Study Finds Huge Surge In "Silent Killer" Condition

A serious heart condition, dubbed the "silent killer", is threatening a significantly higher population, a new study has found. The research has alarmed health experts as it challenges the existing belief that atrial fibrillation (AFib), which causes irregular heartbeat, affects only around a quarter of adults. The study has been conducted by Danish researchers who analysed the health records of millions of adults. The exact cause of atrial fibrillation is unknown, but it is known to be more common in people with high blood pressure, as well as those who are obese.

The team at Aalborg University in Denmark also found up to two in five patients of atrial fibrillation are likely to get heart failure, while one in five will suffer a stroke.

Atrial fibrillation is called a "silent killer" because it does not always display symptoms, and is one contributing factors to strokes and heart failure.

Additionally, AFib can be challenging to detect during routine medical exams without specific diagnostic tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or a Holter monitor, which records heart activity over an extended period. As a result, many cases of AFib remain undiagnosed until a serious complication arises.

Researchers from Denmark analysed data of more than 3.5 million people aged over 45 with no history of the condition.

They also compared the data of two decades - 2000 to 2010 and 2011 to 2022. The study found that overall, lifetime risk for atrial fibrillation was at 31 per cent between 2011 and 2022, compared to the 24 per cent in the decade prior.

The risk was "slightly" higher among men compared to women, said researchers.

Managing AFib often involves a combination of lifestyle modifications, medication and sometimes procedures like cardioversion or catheter ablation to restore normal heart rhythm. Additionally, blood-thinning medications may be prescribed to reduce the risk of blood clots and stroke associated with AFib.