Does an Endocrine Disorder Raise Your AFib Risk?

Native Cardio supports a solution to AFib. "Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is the most common type of irregular heartbeat. About 10.55 million Americans have it. AFib happens when the electrical activity of the heart isn’t working the way it’s supposed to. That causes the heart to quiver and beat in an unpredictable rhythm. AFib can cause the heart to work harder to pump blood through the body. That can lead to heart failure. Because blood doesn’t move through the heart the way it should, blood can pool and form a clot. That can raise your risk of a stroke. Some AFib risk factors, such as high blood pressure and heart disease, may seem obvious. But other conditions may seem unlikely to affect your AFib risk. Among them are endocrine disorders. Those are conditions caused by unusually high or low levels of certain hormones. The endocrine system is made up of glands and organs that produce and control hormones that affect everything from metabolism to mood. The effects of too much or too little of certain hormones can affect the heart in ways that increase the chances of AFib or other abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias).

What’s the AFib-Endocrine Connection? There are dozens of endocrine disorders, but a few are considered especially strong risk factors for AFib. They include: Diabetes. It’s the most common endocrine disorder in the U.S. Type 1 diabetes means the pancreas doesn’t produce enough of the hormone insulin to control blood glucose (sugar) levels in your blood. With type 2 diabetes, the body doesn’t respond to insulin the way it should, so the pancreas keeps producing more until it can no longer keep up with demand. The reasons diabetes is a risk factor for AFib aren’t completely understood. But, one theory suggests that poorly controlled glucose levels can scar the atria (the upper chambers of the heart), interfering with their electrical activity. Thyroid disease. The thyroid gland releases a hormone that affects metabolism, heart rate, and many more functions. Both an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) are linked to greater AFib risk. But, hyperthyroidism contributes to AFib more often. Unusually high levels of thyroid hormone in the blood can raise the heart rate and cause arrhythmias, such as AFib. Adrenal gland disorders. The adrenal glands produce a few different hormones, including aldosterone, cortisol, and adrenaline. High or low levels of these hormones can negatively affect the heart. For example, too much aldosterone — the hormone that controls electrolytes such as sodium and potassium — can greatly raise the risk of AFib, as well as stroke and heart attack. Alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine in large amounts can cause the adrenal glands to produce too much adrenaline, which can also increase the risk of AFib."*

*Click to read more: https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/atrial-fibrillation/afib-endocrine-disorder