Who gets afib?
Men suffer from atrial fibrillation more than women. It occurs more frequently the older you get. Ten percent of people over the age of 60 have atrial fibrillation. Athletes get afib more often because of their enlarged heart and increased vagal tone. Tall people like basketball players have an increased incidence of afib. Atrial fibrillation can occur in 15-30% of patients undergoing heart surgery. In fact a significant number of patients undergoing any major surgery may have episodes of atrial fibrillation. These cases are typically short term in nature, and often will not return after recovery from surgery is complete. There is a saying: “afib begets afib”. When a person suffers from afib, their heart begins a process of remodeling. In other words, the heart begins to change. The electrical circuits adapt and the atria enlarge. That is why the longer a patient has afib the more likely they will progress to a continuous or permanent afib. Therefore, treatments for atrial fibrillation
