A landmark study has found that overweight patients with atrial fibrillation, a common irregular heartbeat condition, can reverse its effects by losing just 10 per cent of their body weight. The research, conducted by scientists at the University of Adelaide and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, offers the first evidence that weight loss can help manage the condition.
Atrial fibrillation affects around one million people in Britain and up to six million in the US, increasing the risk of stroke and heart failure. The study, published in the medical journal Europace, involved more than 350 overweight and obese participants. Lead researcher Dr Melissa Middeldorp stated that progression of the disease is directly linked to the degree of weight loss.
Patients who lost weight experienced fewer symptoms, required less treatment, and had better outcomes. Some who previously had sustained symptoms experienced only intermittent symptoms or stopped experiencing atrial fibrillation entirely. The equivalent of a 13-stone patient losing 1 stone 7 pounds was cited as an example of the necessary weight reduction.
Professor Prash Sanders, who contributed to the study, suggested that weight loss could even be an alternative to surgery or drugs. He emphasised that managing lifestyle factors is essential for effectively treating atrial fibrillation. The findings have widespread implications for the global management of the disease.
