Test to help prevent stroke

Up to 80% of all strokes are caused by blood clots, and heart rhythm troubles trigger as many as one in four of these. This simple test can help prevent a stroke

By Sari Harrar

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An irregular heart beat is an early warning sign of a stroke Photo: Thinkstock

Irregular heartbeats – the flutters and crazy palpitations of atrial fibrillation (AF) – are responsible for up to 11,000 strokes each year in Australia alone. Forty per cent of patients with AF-related strokes die within a year, says stroke specialist Dr John Worthington from the University of NSW.

Most of this suffering could be avoided if it weren’t for the fact that many of the people with AF don’t realise they have the condition.

The extremely irregular rhythms of atrial fibrillation allow blood to pool in the heart, with the danger it may clot. If a clot eventually gets pushed out, it can travel straight to the brain.

HOME CHECK - Place a finger on your neck or wrist and tap your foot to the rhythm of your pulse for a minute. If the beat is so irregular you can’t tap along, relax for an hour and check again. If it’s still very uneven, tell your doctor.

In several studies, this test alerted doctors to over 90% of people with AF, as confirmed by heart monitoring.

YOUR NEXT STEP - After listening to your heart, your family doctor or cardiologist may order an electrocardiogram, which gives a detailed look at how your heart is beating. Some people with atrial fibrillation take blood thinners to prevent a stroke; sometimes other medicines or procedures are needed to control heart rate and rhythm.