Smartwatches and Stroke Prevention
How wearable tech helps people monitor atrial fibrillation and other stroke risk factors Fact checked by Jim Lacy Picture this: You’re walking or jogging when your Fitbit buzzes on your wrist, your heart rhythm has gone irregular. Or maybe you’re grocery shopping after work, and your Apple Watch gives a similar warning. When your watch […]
Cutting Down on Alcohol Helps if You Have Atrial Fibrillation
In medical school, there are lots of cutesy names that help us learn and remember things. “Holiday heart” is one of these — it reminds doctors-in-training that binge drinking alcohol can lead to an episode of atrial fibrillation (afib). The association is a real one; I have met a number of patients who suffered an […]
Keeping the Beat
Understanding the irregular patterns of heart arrhythmia Charlie Hildestad didn’t feel well during a preseason run with other members of the Illinois Wesleyan University lacrosse team. But the 19-year-old kept running, completing seven of 10 laps. He then left the campus field, entered a nearby restroom and fainted. Hildestad, a graduate of Saint Viator High […]