People with atrial fibrillation are at a higher risk of having a stroke.
In extreme cases, atrial fibrillation can also lead to heart failure.
Stroke
When the upper chambers of the heart (atria) do not pump efficiently there's a risk of blood clots forming.
These blood clots may move into the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles). They can get pumped into the blood supply to the lungs or to the rest of the body.
Clots can block arteries in the brain, causing a stroke.
Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of a stroke by about 5 times.
But the risk depends on your age and if you have:
- high blood pressure (hypertension)
- heart failure
- diabetes
- a previous history of stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
- a previous history of heart or arterial disease
Heart failure
If your atrial fibrillation is constant, it may start to weaken your heart. In some cases, it can lead to heart failure, when your heart cannot pump blood around your body properly.