Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death around the world, and stroke is one of its most serious complications.
Many strokes happen suddenly and can leave people with permanent disability or even lead to death.
However, doctors believe that many of these events could be prevented if hidden heart problems were found earlier.
Now, an international group of medical experts is calling for a simple change that could make a big difference. They recommend checking for both high blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat during every routine health visit.
Their review was published in the medical journal Circulation and was led by Professor Teemu Niiranen from the University of Turku in Finland, together with 28 other heart experts from around the world.
The researchers believe that combining these two simple tests could help identify people at high risk before a stroke or other serious health problem occurs.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, develops when the force of blood pushing against the artery walls stays too high for a long time. It often causes no obvious symptoms, which is why it is sometimes called the “silent killer.”
Over many years, high blood pressure can damage the heart, brain, kidneys, and blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and kidney disease.
The second condition highlighted in the review is atrial fibrillation, often shortened to AFib. AFib is the most common long-lasting abnormal heart rhythm in adults.
Instead of beating in a steady rhythm, the upper chambers of the heart beat rapidly and irregularly. This allows blood to collect inside the heart, where clots may form. If one of these clots travels to the brain, it can block blood flow and cause a stroke.
The experts explain that high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation are closely connected. High blood pressure increases strain on the heart over time, making atrial fibrillation more likely to develop.
When a person has both conditions together, the danger becomes much greater. Their chances of suffering a stroke, developing heart failure, or experiencing dementia increase significantly.
One of the biggest challenges is that atrial fibrillation often produces no symptoms at all. Some people notice a racing heartbeat, fluttering in the chest, dizziness, or tiredness. However, many people feel completely normal until they suddenly have a stroke. For some patients, the stroke is the first sign that they ever had AFib.
Because of this, the researchers believe atrial fibrillation screening should become part of every blood pressure check. They point out that this can often be done quickly without expensive equipment.
A healthcare professional can feel a person’s pulse for about 30 seconds to detect an irregular heartbeat. Many modern blood pressure monitors already include a feature that warns users if an irregular heart rhythm is detected. Portable electrocardiogram devices, including some smartwatches, can also identify atrial fibrillation in less than a minute.
Finding AFib early gives doctors an opportunity to begin treatment before a stroke happens.
Depending on the patient’s risk, treatment may include blood-thinning medicines to reduce the chance of blood clots, medications to control heart rhythm or heart rate, and better management of blood pressure. These treatments can greatly lower the risk of serious complications.
The review also highlights growing evidence that atrial fibrillation may increase the risk of dementia, even in people who have never experienced a stroke. This makes early detection even more important, particularly as the world’s population continues to age.
The experts emphasize that controlling blood pressure remains one of the best ways to reduce the risk of developing atrial fibrillation in the first place.
Healthy habits such as regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol, managing stress, and taking prescribed blood pressure medicines all help protect heart health.
The researchers believe that adding atrial fibrillation screening to routine blood pressure checks would be a simple, low-cost step that could prevent thousands of strokes and save many lives each year.
By identifying people earlier and starting treatment sooner, healthcare providers may be able to reduce the burden of heart disease and help people stay healthier for longer.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about how diets could help lower high blood pressure, and 3 grams of omega-3s a day keep high blood pressure at bay.
For more health information, please see recent studies that beetroot juice could help reduce blood pressure, and results showing cinnamon could help lower high blood pressure.
The research review was published in Circulation.
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