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Added risk from atrial fibrillation was higher than that of menwith the same condition, study finds. FRIDAY, June 1 (HealthDay News) -- Women with a heart rhythmdisorder called atrial fibrillation are slightly more likely tosuffer a stroke than men with the condition, according to a newstudy. The finding suggests that doctors need to consider patients' sexwhen making decisions about treatment, the researchers said. Atrialfibrillation raises the risk of blood clots and stroke, and peoplewith the condition are sometimes prescribed anti-clotting drugs. "In borderline situations, in which a decision about whether togive anticoagulation treatment weighs in the balance, we suggestthat female sex should probably tip the scale towards initiatingtreatment," the researchers from Karolinska Institute in Sweden andUniversity of Birmingham in England wrote in the report publishedonline May 31 in BMJ. The study included more than 100,000 atrial fibrillation patientsin Sweden who were followed for an average of 1.2 years. Duringthat time, the annual stroke rates were 6.2 percent for women and4.2 percent for men. Even after adjusting for a number of factors, the researchers foundthat women had an 18 percent higher risk of stroke than men.However, the absolute risks were low for both sexes. For example, the annual rate of stroke was 1.9 percent for womenaged 65 to 74, and was lower in men. Yet not all groups of women with atrial fibrillation were at higherrisk of stroke than men, the investigators found. Women youngerthan 65 without any other risk factors apart from atrialfibrillation did not have a higher stroke risk than men. These women are at low risk for stroke and do not needanti-clotting treatment, the researchers added. The authors of an accompanying editorial agreed. "The registry data confirm overall that women are at higher risk ofstroke than men, but when differences in age and risk factorprofile are taken into account the excess risk is low," EvaPrescott of University Hospital, Bispebjerg, in Denmark, and acolleague wrote in the editorial. "More importantly, the absoluterisk in younger women with no other risk factors is low and doesnot merit treatment with oral anticoagulants." More information The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about atrial fibrillation . SOURCE: BMJ , news release, May 31, 2012 Copyright © 2012 HealthDay . All rights reserved. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as Handmade Snooker Cues Manufacturer , China 3 Piece Snooker Cue for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits 3 Piece Snooker Cue.
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