Understanding the connection between heart health and brain function
When you live with atrial fibrillation, you may take medication to prevent blood clots and control uncomfortable symptoms. While this can improve your quality of life in the short term, the long-term outlook may be less rosy. That’s because new research shows that AFib symptoms and common treatments could damage the brain, leading to a decline in memory and language skills. A network of nerves and blood vessels connect these two organs, but the heart and brain can influence each other through a variety of pathways. Some studies have shown an association between AFib and Alzheimer’s disease, which means there could be processes at play that you might not have considered. The mental decline known as dementia is a frightening reality, but it’s certainly not set in stone. You can help or hinder your body with your lifestyle and treatment choices, but first you’ll need to understand some of the challenges you could face when you live with AFib. Stroke risk is a factor Blood clots leading to stroke are major concerns for anyone living with AFib – they’re also a direct link between heart and brain function. An irregular heartbeat left untreated can cause blood to pool in the heart and clots may form in the pooled blood. If a clot travels to the brain and lodges in a blood vessel, you could experience the classic physical signs of stroke, like blurry vision, slurred speech, and weakness on one side of the body. Strokes can manifest in different ways. Some strokes come with sudden and pronounced symptoms, while others are silent. These small and quiet strokes can go undetected, affecting cognition in more subtle ways. Over time, that damage can add up, and cognitive changes can become more obvious. Your risk increases with age Aging is a challenge for a lot of people at the best of times; the older we get, the tougher certain actions, reactions, and natural processes become. Your AFib risk and your dementia risk rises as you age, especially as you approach 80. One study published in the journal Neurology found that AFib can bring on Alzheimer’s at an earlier age than in people without AFib. This report didn’t tie cognitive decline to stroke – rather, patients with AFib who had never had a reported stroke still experienced earlier cognitive decline than average. The effect of AFib treatment on dementia risk It seems that there’s some link between AFib and dementia (though studies continue to determine just how strong that link is). There also appears to be a connection between certain AFib medications and the risk of mental decline. Blood thinners could actually protect the brain The good news about the heart-brain link is that certain blood thinning medication could actually help to stall the onset of dementia. Results of a recent study published in European Heart Journal show that AFib patients on a blood thinning medication at the beginning of the study were 29 per cent less likely to develop dementia than the other participants. Where does the benefit come from? One theory is that anticoagulants like Warfarin not only protect against major strokes, but also against mild or mini-strokes, the often invisible events that could add up to significant long-term cognitive decline. Where does the benefit come from? One theory is that anticoagulants like Warfarin not only protect against major strokes, but also against mild or mini-strokes, the often invisible events that could add up to significant long-term cognitive decline. However, there’s a fine balance when it comes to blood thinners and brain health: while blood thinning medication is designed to prevent clots, too much of it can cause microbleeds in the brain. The lesson here is that close monitoring could make all the difference. Speak with your doctor regularly about tracking the amount of medication in your body and revisiting your treatment plan periodically to make sure dosage is still sufficient. Lifestyle changes for mental longevity Losing weight and improving your general cardiovascular fitness could have a measurable impact on cognitive complications. One 2016 study found that, of the 355 AFib patients who participated in weight loss interventions, those who sustained their weight loss didn’t feel the burden of their AFib to the same degree as others – In fact, they were more likely to remain in a normal sinus rhythm. Since the effects of AFib can feed cognitive problems, it follows that the fewer AFib symptoms and episodes you have, the better it will be for your mental health. That’s a good reason to incorporate regular exercise into your AFib management plan. Looking ahead and staying positive More studies are needed to unveil more details of the AFib-dementia relationship, but recent findings show promise. There’s a bigger push to figure out how to use this relationship to our benefit, and for now, a good amount of evidence to suggest you should consider blood thinners as a main course of defense. In addition to thinning your blood, focus on other ways to manage heart dangers like high blood pressure. Since early intervention is so often the key to avoiding the worst case scenario, it’s crucial that you communicate well with your doctor. As new studies are scheduled and research advances, your medical team may be able to tailor a treatment plan to protects your brain as well as your heart.
0 Comments
5 tips to keep your A-fib in check
When you’re diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, you might think that life as you know it is over. Now you will have to watch for triggers, be prepared to handle sudden symptoms, and generally keep a lower profile than other heart-healthy people. In reality, there’s plenty that you can do to keep living the life you want – or make it an even happier, healthier, and more rewarding existence despite having Afib. It’s true that heart palpitations, chest discomfort, and anxiety are not fun to live with. But although it can be difficult to completely eradicate AFib symptoms, you can diminish their severity and frequency by making some clear and straightforward lifestyle changes. If you want to take your health seriously, consider these approaches to a stronger cardiovascular system. Tip #1: Make exercise a part of your life You’ve heard it before, but it can’t be said often enough: if you want to improve your energy, strengthen your heart, and increase your longevity, you need to make exercise a part of your everyday routine. Of course, living with AFib means minding your limits, so you’ll need to moderate your workout routine with the help of sound medical advice from your doctor and a keen focus on your body’s signals. Strenuous exercise can make an irregular heartbeat worse, but moderate exercise can bring long-term benefits, like weight loss and lower blood pressure – and that can help you ward off heart failure, which is a major risk for AFib patients. Consider a routine that balances regular, moderate aerobic exercise with stretching and strengthening activities like yoga. Tip #2: Minimize stress as much as possible Not only is stress a common trigger for AFib, it appears to affect the severity of symptoms, too. Psychological stress, which can manifest in forms like anxiety and depression, has prompted patients to visit their doctor more often with AFib complaints. Likewise, if you’re prone to anxiety or high-stress states, even moderate AFib symptoms could feed the cycle. Stress is personal and unique – your stress relief program should be as well. The first step is to be more observant: learn what brings on stress, where it tends to happen, and why you have such a difficult time controlling it. Then, explore your options. From innovative workouts to face-to-face therapy sessions, there are plenty of stress-relieving resources at your fingertips (and no reason to wait any longer to try them). Tip #3: Reduce your salt intake High-sodium lifestyles are the norm in North America, and they’re slowly chipping away at our health. It’s true you need salt to live, but when you take in too much – more than 1500 mg a day – your body’s mineral balance is thrown off, your blood pressure can go up, and your heart rhythm can suffer. Not a good combination for anyone, especially people with AFib. One simple first step is to decrease the amount of sodium you eat, which means drastically reducing frozen, processed, or takeaway meals. Pay close attention to labels (some foods have a surprising amount of sodium) and get used to cooking with flavorful herbs and spices rather than salt. You may also want to pay more attention to your minerals: electrolyte imbalances can feed AFib, so it might be time to up your magnesium and potassium to counter the sodium you take in. Tip #4: Watch out for stimulants like caffeine and alcohol Stimulants can feel great when you’re consuming them, but your heart often bears the health burden. If you’re prone to heart rhythm irregularities, you’re probably even more vulnerable to an adverse reaction to stimulants like caffeine, alcohol, and other drugs. Remember that stimulants can hide in products that seem harmless. Coffee and cola are prime caffeine sources, but caffeine can also be found in pain relievers and chocolate treats. Energy drinks are some of the worst offenders: they’re loaded with stimulating compounds, so even if they’re labeled “caffeine-free” you should avoid them altogether. Alcohol is one of the most common stimulants, and it has a direct impact on heart health. Even a couple of drinks can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of palpitations, so moderation is key. Wondering what moderation looks like for AFib sufferers? It can come down to personal physiology, so listen to your body and talk with your doctor about it. Tip #5: Try your best to avoid infections like the flu and more Getting sick is never comfortable, but it can be dangerous when you live with AFib. The flu is particularly threatening: symptoms like high fever can lead to dehydration, and respiratory problems causing hypoxia can stress your cardiovascular system. Your best defenses against the flu are frequent hand washing and the annual flu shot. Worried that this year’s vaccine won’t offer much protection? It’s still worth getting, because even if you were to contract the flu, the symptoms could be much more manageable – and that can make a big difference when those symptoms are known to interfere with your heart disorder. Implement these tips by establishing a routine How long does it take to form a habit? A lot depends on how difficult it is to adopt, and how quickly you can weave it into your daily routine. Some research suggests that it takes a little over two months for a new behavior to become automatic, which means you’ll have to stay focused on your lifestyle changes for a while, especially when it comes to tips like exercise and eating well. It’s easy to slide into old patterns, especially when life gets hectic. You may fare better with some support, like working out with a group or joining conversations in online forums to share challenges and tips on keeping (or kicking) a specific habit. The idea is to make it as easy as possible on yourself to adopt positive, lasting changes for the good of your heart. In this video we demonstrate the insertion of an IV into the external jugular vein.
|
AuthorCarlo Oller, MD FACEP Archives
February 2021
Categories |