The older you get, the more likely you’ll suffer a fall. In fact, based on statistics in Singapore, about a quarter of seniors over 65 will have a fall. What is interesting is that scientists have recently discovered that seniors who fall are twice as likely to have atrial fibrillation (AF), a common type of irregular heartbeat. Scientists and doctors have long known that irregular heartbeats can cause fainting. This link with falls however, is something new. The data for this study was drawn from over 4,800 adults over 50 in Ireland, across 3 years. About 30% of people with AF had fallen in the past year, as compared to 20% of those without AF. This is a stark contrast, when you take into account that only 3% of the people in the study had AF. With atrial fibrillation, the heartbeat is irregular. This means that the amount of blood being pumped around the body is affected. This will in turn affect the amount of oxygen received by the organs, including the brain—and hence possibly causing falls. With this new research, perhaps it would be important for doctors to check for atrial fibrillation when they are treating a senior for injuries due to a fall.
If your senior loved ones have been experiencing falls and you would like them to undergo a test for atrial fibrillation, call our friendly medical concierge at +65 6679 7867, or email us at customercare@tmcg.com.sg. For emergency cases, call our hotline at +65 9168 9693. Our medically trained team is here to provide the assistance that you or your loved ones require.
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