Silent Atrial Fibrillation Raises Stroke Risk Fivefold, Warn Hyderabad Doctors
Leading health experts in Hyderabad have warned that atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common heart rhythm disorder, often goes undetected due to mild or absent symptoms while increasing the risk of a stroke by five times. Speaking on the growing prevalence of the condition, Dr C. Narasimhan, director and head of electrophysiology services at AIG Hospitals in Hyderabad, and Prof. Dhiraj Gupta, a cardiac electrophysiology expert from the United Kingdom, highlighted the critical need for timely screening and comprehensive lifestyle management.
AFib occurs when the heart's upper chambers, the atria, fail to contract normally. This impairs the heart's pumping efficiency and triggers symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness, dizziness, and palpitations. However, Prof. Gupta noted that AFib generally develops gradually over days, months, or years, leading many patients to mistake their fatigue or breathlessness for normal ageing or reduced physical fitness rather than a serious cardiac issue. In some cases, a stroke may be the very first indication that a patient suffers from the disorder.
The doctors pointed out that India faces a unique risk profile for the disease. Dr Narasimhan explained that many individuals in the country suffer from sarcopenic obesity, a condition characterized by low muscle mass combined with abdominal fat accumulation. Alongside hypertension and diabetes, this significantly elevates cardiovascular risks. Additionally, while high blood pressure is the primary driver globally, rheumatic heart disease remains a major cause in India, accounting for roughly 40 per cent of AFib cases in certain domestic patient groups.
Beyond increasing the risk of stroke, untreated AFib can result in heart failure and may raise the long-term risk of dementia. Diagnosis typically relies on a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). However, because the condition can be intermittent, experts recommended prolonged monitoring spanning two to three weeks or using smartwatches with built-in AFib detection features to catch cases missed during routine clinical check-ups.
On the treatment front, the specialists noted that advancements such as catheter ablation—particularly pulsed-field ablation technology—have made interventions faster and safer. Newer blood-thinning medications have also simplified stroke prevention compared to traditional treatments such as warfarin. The experts stressed that managing underlying lifestyle factors, including blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity, remains essential alongside rhythm correction, and urged primary-care physicians to screen high-risk patients showing unexplained fatigue or palpitations.
