September 2019

Mother of bride with AFib finds success after ablation procedure

Kathleen Marshall is always on the go.

“I get up in the morning, hit the ground running and I go all day long,” Marshall said.

The 68-year-old stays busy navigating life with her three children, five grandchildren and a booming business, Kathleen’s Kids, to run.

Marshall also regularly attends ballroom dance and tai chi classes.

Even the busiest of days have never fully masked Marshall’s underlying condition of atrial fibrillation (AFib), a quivering or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia).

Preventing AFib: Change your life, protect your heart.

It’s that simple. Following a heart-healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib). Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that can lead to stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.

We know that older age increases the risk of developing atrial fibrillation — but that’s not all. Other major contributing factors include heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and heavy drinking.

Is atrial fibrillation genetic? It can be.

Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib, can happen to anyone. But can it be passed down from a family member? The answer is yes.

Having a family member with AFib increases your chances of being diagnosed. Atrial fibrillation that is inherited is called familial atrial fibrillation.

Although the exact incidence of an inherited abnormality of the heart’s normal rhythm is unknown, recent studies suggest that up to 30 percent of people with AFib have a relative with the condition.

Is aspirin enough to protect me from stroke if I have atrial fibrillation?

The answer is no, but let’s start by explaining the connection between atrial fibrillation and stroke.

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is generally not a life-threatening condition, but it can lead to serious medical complications, such as stroke. An irregular heart rhythm allows blood to pool in the heart, which can cause clots to form.

According to experts, AFib patients are nearly five times more likely to suffer a stroke than those without the condition.