While most of us associate a fluttering heart with a bout of anxiety, scientists know it’s probably a heart condition, called atrial fibrillation.
Despite a common heart condition, few people know about it–or the heart attack or stroke risk it carries.
New research presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 64th Annual Scientific Session says there’s no need to fear, however: A cure could be as simple as watching your weight.
According to Rajeev Pathak, M.D., who presented the research earlier this week, obese at-risk people who lost just 10 percent of their body weight were six times less likely to have this condition. Those who maintained their unhealthy weight, however, still faced a huge risk of this disease–as well as a higher mortality risk.
For Pathak, the findings illustrate just how important weight loss is.
“Previous studies have shown that weight management can reduce atrial fibrillation symptoms in the short term and improve outcomes of ablation [a surgical treatment for atrial fibrillation],” says Pathak, who serves as a cardiologist and electrophysiology fellow at the University of Adelaide in Adelaide, Australia. “We sought to shed light on the long-term outcomes of sustained weight loss, the effects of the amount of weight lost and the impact of changes in weight over time.”
Recruiting over 300 obese participants with a history of atrial fibrillation, researchers enrolled them in a weight loss program, which included guided advice on dietary habits, exercise, and support for losing weight. Participants returned annually to the clinic to have their health examined, which included assessing the severity of their heart problems. Researchers measured the function of their heart using a device called the Holter monitor, which measured their heart’s natural rhythms.
After 4 years of check-ups, a trend soon emerged: Those who lost at least 10 percent of their weight no longer had atrial fibrillation. Those who could not lose weight or ended up gaining weight had recurring heart problems, however.
For Pathak, this shows just how much of an impact weight loss has on this condition.
“We found that sustained weight loss is achievable in obese patients and that it can significantly reduce the burden of atrial fibrillation,” says Pathak. “Weight loss also led to favorable changes in cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea and diabetes, along with improvements in the structure and function of the heart.”
What This Means For You
Atrial fibrillation is a condition that seems hard to beat–but now, losing weight could be your best solution. Luckily, it doesn’t matter how you lose weight: Just lose 10 percent of your natural weight to keep your heart problems at bay.
Readers: Have you had this heart condition before?
Sources:
Losing Weight Substantially Reduces Atrial Fibrillation – ScienceDaily.com
Long-Term Effect of Goal Directed Weight Management in an Atrial Fibrillation Cohort: A Long Term Follow-Up Study (LEGACY Study) – ScienceDirect.com
Atrial Fibrillation: Definition, Causes, Treatment – MayoClinic.com
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