A group of 29 international experts says that simultaneous screening for hypertension and heart arrhythmia could prevent thousands of strokes.
A recent expert review highlights the strong link between hypertension (high blood pressure) and atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a condition where the heart beats irregularly and rapidly, which can lead to the formation of blood clots inside the heart. High blood pressure and atrial fibrillation are the most significant risk factors for stroke.
The lead author of the report is Professor of Internal Medicine
Teemu Niiranen from the University of Turku, Finland, who is one of the leading experts on hypertension in Europe. The review article was published in
Circulation, a prestigious journal published by the American Heart Association.
“Hypertension and atrial fibrillation are a dangerous combination – one leads to the other, and together they significantly increase the risk of stroke, heart failure, and dementia,” says Niiranen.
Despite the link between high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation, atrial fibrillation is not routinely screened in the same way as hypertension. This means that many cases go undetected until it is too late. Professor Niiranen and his co-authors call for an urgent change to this practice.
"The combination of high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation is like a ticking time bomb. A simple pulse check or an automatic alert of an irregular heart rate on a blood pressure monitor could mean the difference between early treatment and a life-altering stroke,” Niiranen says.
The study highlights that hypertension is not only common in atrial fibrillation patients, but it actually also contributes to the development of atrial fibrillation. Controlling high blood pressure could significantly reduce the likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation, ultimately lowering the risk of serious cardiac and neurological complications.
“We already know that atrial fibrillation increases the risk of stroke fivefold, but there is also growing evidence linking it to dementia, making its early detection even more important.”
Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained rhythm disorder, but it is often asymptomatic and goes undiagnosed until a person has a stroke.
Detecting atrial fibrillation is simple and can be done using:
- Pulse checks – A simple 30-second pulse check from the wrist or neck to detect an irregular heartbeat.
- Blood pressure monitors with irregular heartbeat alerts – many modern devices already have this feature.
- Portable ECG devices – small portable ECG monitors or smartwatches that detect atrial fibrillation in under a minute.
“By incorporating atrial fibrillation screening to routine blood pressure screenings, we could identify at-risk patients earlier, start appropriate treatment, and save lives," concludes Niiranen.