Atrial Fibrillation Life Expectancy at Life

Atrial Fibrillation Life Expectancy. Atrial fibrillation can impact your health and life span in a number of ways. Atrial fibrillation (afib) occurs when the normal rhythmic pumping of the upper chambers of the heart, called the atria, breaks down.

Overall, mortality rates are four times higher in people with atrial fibrillation than in the general population, although the specific cause of death varies greatly. Patients with atrial fibrillation have a double mortality since it increases the risk of stroke. It develops when the electrical signals in your heart are triggered out of sync, resulting in heart rates that are irregular and often too fast.

Why does my heart rate increase when I drink alcohol?

A longitudinal study found that atrial fibrillation reduces life expectancy by two years on average, a small improvement from the three year. Whether or not afib shortens a person’s lifespan depends on whether or not he or she can get their heart rate and anticoagulation under control. It often begins as short periods of abnormal beating, which become longer or continuous over time. What we don’t know is whether this shorter life expectancy is from atrial fibrillation or the many other medical issues that often accompany atrial fibrillation.