Hi again, Gene. Atri

Answer 1

Hi again, Gene. Atrial fibrillation is generally associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and much of this is due to its relationship with ischemic stroke and cardiac disease like heart failure. Among men, estimates range from 1.3-3.5 times more likely for strokes, cardiovascular events (e.g. heart attack), heart failure and death. In your case, however, your risks are probably lower and may even approximate those of people without atrial fibrillation; this is because you have lone atrial fibrillation (at least by some criteria-it is more commonly diagnosed among younger people). Lone atrial fibrillation is diagnosed when no underlying cause or related illness, like Heart disease or Diabetes, can be found. Because your atrial fibrillation is unassociated with any other symptoms or findings of heart disease, and because you are a non-smoker without obesity or hypertension, your prognosis is better than that of atrial fibrillation in general. The Pradaxa you take is to further reduce your risk of having a stroke.