Atrial fibrillation, a leading cause of stroke, kills six Australians every day. (Dan Peled/AAP PHOTOS)
WHAT IS AF AND HOW DOES IT CAUSE STROKES?
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* Atrial fibrillation (AF) claims the lives of six Australians every day
* Aboriginal people experience higher levels of AF at an earlier age than the general population
* In AF, blood circulates in the heart in an abnormal way, so there is a tendency for clots to develop
* If a clot blocks the brain artery, it can cause a stroke
* AF-related strokes tend to be larger, more severe, and harder to survive than strokes due to other causes
* The risk of AF is increased by heart disease, high blood pressure, type two diabetes and sleep apnoea, as well as the use of stimulants like smoking tobacco
Australian Associated Press
