Atrial Fibrillation

The cardiologist Dr. Axel F. Sigurdsson MD, PhD, FACC posted this terrific blog post which reviews all things atrial fib in a clear, easily understood way. This was posted in May/15, so keep in mind that medical advances come frequently and may make some parts of the article out-of-date. This is a general over-view, so it does not cover all the details that may be considered in any given specific person’s situation.

Lifestyle and body weight are important topics in atrial fib.

Quotes from Dr. Sigurdsson’s article:

• Smoking and a sedentary lifestyle are known risk factors for heart disease.
• Obesity is associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation.
• A recent study found that general weight management reduced the burden of atrial fibrillation in overweight and obese patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation. Therefore, maintaining a healthy weight is important.
• Not smoking is of key importance.
• Regular physical exercise is associated with lower incidence of atrial fibrillation
• A diet low in salt and rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may be beneficial if high blood pressure is present
• Excessive alcohol intake is associated with increased risk of atrial fibrillation

Note: at present the topic of salt/sodium intake is under review. There are certainly medical conditions where a low sodium intake is important. There is hot dispute in academic circles regarding low sodium (salt) intake as a desirable target for every-one. As ever, your particular circumstance requires individual consideration.

Please click the link to see the full article, along with the references supporting the info presented.  LINK  You might enjoy having a look around on his blog, as there are a number of useful, thoughtful posts.

From the blog  docsopinion.com

“Dr. Sigurdsson is a cardiologist at the Department of Cardiology at The Landspitali University Hospital in Reykjavik Iceland. He also practices cardiology at Hjartamidstodin (The Heart Center) which is a private heart clinic in the Reykjavik area”

“Dr. Sigurdsson is a specialist in internal medicine and cardiology. He did his cardiology training at the Sahlgrenska/Östra University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden and at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria BC, Canada between 1988 – 1996. He is past president of the Icelandic Cardiac Society.

“Dr. Sigurdsson main interest has been in the field of coronary heart disease and heart failure. He has published more than 100 scientific abstracts, articles and book chapters in international journals and text books.”