AFib has a rising trend among the American population. Unfortunately, AFib occurs when your heart’s chamber starts to beat out of sync. Therefore, the muscular pump doesn’t work as efficiently as we would like it to work. This fluttering heartbeat can lead to serious health issues such as a heart attack or stroke. Additionally, AFib can be a one-time episode or a permanent ailment. Consequently, we can’t take AFib lightly, and it’s troubling how AFib has become an epidemic. For that reason, let’s discuss obesity as a risk factor for AFib as a way to halt rampant progress.
What’s Obesity?
Obesity means that you are burdening your body with extra weight. Unfortunately, it can have widespread negative effects. Obesity affects many parts of your body but affects your cardio-vascular system the worst. However, how would you determine if a person is obese or not? Well, it’s more than a game of guessing, as we have scientific guidelines in place to help you determine that. Anyone with a BMI (Body Mass Index) greater than 30 can be considered obese.
Obesity And AFib:
Obesity is bad news, especially when we are talking about its connection with AFib. Specifically, obesity can increase the risk of AFib episodes by a swooping 50%. Moreover, obesity also increases the risk of recurrent AFib episodes. Thus, it boosts the possibility of an isolated AF episode turning into permanent AF. One reason behind this relation is that obesity leads to some health issues that increase the risk of AFib. Therefore, obesity has a direct and an indirect effect on AF occurrence.
Understanding The Relation Between Obesity And Afib:
Extra fat, especially around your waist, has a direct effect on your heart. It can lower the working capacity of your ventricles, so the heart cannot efficiently pump the blood around your body. Moreover, the shape of the atrium also changes.
In addition to structural changes, obesity can also interfere with the electrical and chemical signals of the heart. Overall, these alterations mess with the rhythm of the heart and make it weaker. Consequently, obesity directly correlates with increased incidences of AF. However, the train of events doesn’t stop here because obesity has some indirect relations too. Extra fat can lead to hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea, and coronary heart diseases. All of these also contribute to the weakening of your heart and increasing the risk of AFib.
Decreasing Your Weight:
Being obese doesn’t mean that everything can only go downhill. You can rebuild and improve your heart by shedding some pounds, and you can even stave off AF. Thus, control of your diet and regular exercise can help you reach your goal. However, the journey won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. Additionally, with determination, you can reach your weight goals. Nonetheless, we are here to help if you have AF and want to have a better life. You can rely on AFib Centers Of America for guidance and treatment. To learn more about how we can help you, call us today at (832) 478-5067 for booking and inquiries.