AROUND 10,000 people in Northern Ireland could be living with an undiagnosed heart condition, a health charity has warned.
To mark Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Week, the Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke (NICHS) is calling on the public to educate themselves about the condition, which the most common form of irregular heart rhythm, and the increased risk of stroke associated with it.
More than 40,000 people in the north live with atrial fibrillation, but it is thought that a further 10,000 may be undiagnosed.
A poll carried out by NICHS previously revealed that around 70 per cent of people in Northern Ireland did not know what the condition is.
The prevalence of the condition doubles with each advancing decade of age.
As the number of people aged 65 and over in Northern Ireland is expected to increase by 25 per cent by 2026, the incidence of atrial fibrillation is therefore likely to increase markedly with a proportionate impact on stroke risk.
Fidelma Carter from NICHS said: "Atrial fibrillation, or AF, is a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate.
"It is important that the public both understand the symptoms and, if they are diagnosed, they ensure that they are on appropriate treatment in order to reduce their risk of stroke.
"Even more worryingly, very few people were aware of the fact that having AF can increase their risk of having a stroke by five times, if untreated.
"So, we are always trying to increase AF awareness, detection and treatment to prevent avoidable strokes and improve lives.
"Although AF is a serious condition, you can live a long and healthy life with the right treatment plan in place."
Ms Carter reminded people that AF testing is included in NICHS’s health checks service, 'Well Check - a comprehensive cardiovascular health check that can detect the early warning signs and hidden risk factors associated with avoidable chest, heart and stroke illnesses.
"Prior to Covid, we carried out thousands of Well Checks every year, both for companies and with the general public and are delighted to have re-started that work," she said.
"Previously this service focused on blood pressure and cholesterol, but as the prevalence of AF became clear we added this to our test portfolio.
"NICHS is the only charity in Northern Ireland to offer this simple, but vital, 30 second finger touch test for atrial fibrillation.
"Our aim is to get to a situation where everyone in Northern Ireland is aware of the risk that AF poses and their personal AF situation with vital treatment in place for them too."
Further information is available at https://nichs.org.uk/our-support-services/prevention-services/get-a-health-check
