TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Not only the elderly, stroke even the young ones can experience it. Strokes are five times more likely to occur in people with atrial fibrillation (AF) or an abnormal heart rhythm that feels as though the heart is pounding. This occurs when the upper chambers of the muscles vibrate or twitch due to electrical impulses.
Symptoms of AF include palpitations, chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, and dizziness. The palpitations can last from a few moments to several hours. Foundation Heart The UK (BHF) says heart damage is the most common cause, it can be high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, diabetes or other conditions, such as:
– heart valve disease
-Congenital heart disease
-Pericarditis
-Cardiomyopaths
-heart surgery
-Sine syndrome
It can also be caused by physical and mental stress, and is associated with:
-Asthma
-Lung cancer
-Lung emboli
The American Heart Association says you can avoid stroke-risk AF by not drinking coffee in the morning. AF increases the risk of blood clots forming within the heart muscle, which can be life-threatening. For example, if a blood clot travels to the brain, it can cause a stroke.
Johns Hopkins Medicine describes the best ways to lower the risk of AF throughout life including not smoking, following a Mediterranean diet, being physically active, and maintaining a normal weight. This action will help minimize the risk high blood pressure and coronary heart disease, two factors that can cause AF.
If you have AF, most people will be prescribed blood-thinning medications such as warfarin. There may be a trigger for AF, which may be unique to the person with the condition. For example, some people may experience heart palpitations if they drink coffee. So, if drinking coffee triggers heart palpitations, you should avoid the drink completely.
Other common triggers include stress, alcohol, certain sports, and some foods. It may be helpful to keep a symptom diary so you can identify specific triggers. You can check if your heart is pounding by feeling the pulse.
To do this, place two fingers on the artery on the bottom of the wrist to feel for an irregular beat. Meanwhile, BHF highlights the symptoms of a stroke, remember to act quickly if you find symptoms of weakness of the face, arms, and speech problems.
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