StopAfib.org Urges People with Afib to Learn Why It's Important to Get in Rhythm and Stay in Rhythm

September is National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month, and StopAfib.org is educating people with afib about the importance of maintaining normal sinus rhythm to reduce disease progression.

DALLAS, Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- StopAfib.org is shining a light on the importance of maintaining normal sinus rhythm for people with atrial fibrillation, an irregular and sometimes rapid heartbeat that is commonly known as "afib," and urging them to take steps to get in rhythm and stay in rhythm. The longer a person living with afib is out of normal sinus rhythm, the more difficult it is to treat and the more dangerous it may become. With an irregular heartbeat, blood may not properly pump through the body, leading to clots that can cause a stroke, a severe health complication that can significantly affect the quality of life.¹ However, if started early enough in the treatment process and maintained, rhythm control can reduce afib recurrence and potentially prevent progression.

"It is important for patients to educate themselves about their afib and to understand the benefits of anticoagulation, rhythm control, and rate control," says Eric N. Prystowsky, MD, FHRS, an electrophysiologist and Director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at Ascension-St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. "Many patients will have a better quality of life from being in normal sinus rhythm, and when appropriate, antiarrhythmic drugs or catheter ablation should be offered early in the course of their disease for maximum benefit. By making informed decisions in consultation with their physicians regarding what treatment plan is best for them, people living with afib can ensure that they are receiving optimal care for their individual situation."

Atrial fibrillation is due to an abnormality in the heart's electrical system and is the most common heart irregularity.² The CDC estimates that 12.1 million people in the U.S. will have afib in 2030.³ Afib can significantly increase the risk of stroke and heart failure.⁴ In Medicare analyses that were adjusted for comorbidities, Blacks and Hispanics with afib had a higher risk of stroke than whites with afib. ⁵

Healthcare professionals first work to minimize a patient's stroke risk. Then, the initial treatment for afib is usually rate control to stabilize the heart rate. However, evidence suggests that rhythm control, in conjunction with rate control, can help maintain normal sinus rhythm, improve symptoms that persist even with rate control, and approximately double the likelihood of maintaining normal sinus rhythm compared with no rhythm-control treatment.⁶ When determining treatment approaches to care, it is important for healthcare professionals and patients to educate themselves about rhythm control, as well as the safety and efficacy of the various approaches to rhythm control to support getting in rhythm and staying in rhythm.

In an effort to educate people with afib, StopAfib.org has developed a PSA about the importance of controlling the heart's rhythm as part of afib management. The PSA, developed with support from Sanofi*, will begin running during National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month.

"Living with afib can be physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting. However, life without afib is possible with the right care plan," said Mellanie True Hills, founder of StopAfib.org. "Unfortunately, far too many people with afib are unaware of the importance of maintaining sinus rhythm for their long-term health. Our goal is to change that by offering support and information that empowers people with afib to participate in decisions about their care so they can live longer, healthier lives." 

Learn more about afib and how to get in rhythm and stay in rhythm at www.StopAfib.org. To learn about treatment approaches to help manage your afib, visit www.stopafib.org/managing-afib/medication-for-afib/.

*StopAfib.org policies restrict funders from controlling program content.

StopAfib.org was founded in 2007 by an atrial fibrillation patient for afib patients. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for those living with afib and save lives by raising awareness of afib and decreasing afib-related strokes. StopAfib.org is the top arrhythmia site and holds HON Code Certification from the Health on the Net Foundation, signifying a credible, trustworthy medical website. StopAfib.org provides information about afib symptoms, causes, risks, treatments, resources, and the latest afib news. To access carefully curated afib-related videos, create a no-cost account at https://www.stopafib.org/afib-resources/videos/. To learn more about the organization and the annual Get In Rhythm. Stay In Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference, visit www.StopAfib.org.

Contact
Mellanie True Hills
[email protected]
940-466-9898

1. Why atrial fibrillation (AF or AFIB) matters. www.heart.org. (2022, July 7). Retrieved July 22, 2022, from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/atrial-fibrillation/why-atrial-fibrillation-af-or-afib-matters
2. StopAfib.org. What is Atrial Fibrillation? Atrial Fibrillation - What is Afib? (stopafib.org). Accessed July 20, 2022.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What is Atrial Fibrillation? Atrial Fibrillation | cdc.gov. Accessed July 20, 2022.
4. heart.org. Why Atrial Fibrillation (AF or AFib) Matters. Why Atrial Fibrillation (AF or AFib) Matters | American Heart Association . Accessed July 20, 2022.
5. Tsao, C. W., et al. (2022). Heart disease and stroke statistics—2022 update: A report from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 145(8). https://doi.org/10.1161/cir.0000000000001052
6. A. John Camm, et al. The Increasing Role of Rhythm Control in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: JACC State-of-the-Art Review. J Am Coll Cardiol 2022;79:1932-1948. https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc.2022.03.337

SOURCE StopAfib.org