The number of people living with a stroke-inducing heart condition has seen a "staggering rise".
A new study showed cases of atrial fibrillation (AF) have increased by up to 72% in England over the last two decades. The illness is a dangerous heart rhythm condition and major cause of strokes, reports Wales Online.
The condition is now more prevalent than the combined number of people diagnosed with the four most common types of cancer – breast, prostate, lung and bowel – and exceeds the number of people living with heart failure. Researchers say the findings should help change the way AF is prevented, detected and treated, as not everyone experiences symptoms and diagnosing it is difficult.
