An American Heart Association (AHA) survey found that half the people who have atrial fibrillation (AFib) either deny or dont know they have a higher risk for stroke. AFib is a condition characterized by a quivering or erratic heartbeat, and it affects about 2.7 million Americans. In the survey, about two-thirds of the respondents recalled their doctors talking with them about their stroke risk. And of those, 21 percent reported that their physicians said they had no higher stroke risk. One of the goals of the AHA is to raise awareness of the significantly higher stroke risk for patients with AFib and to educate AFib patients about the importance of stroke prevention through medications adherence, surgical procedures or cardiac devices if necessary, and lifestyle adjustments, such as regular exercise and a healthy diet.
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