Experts urge combined screening for hypertension and atrial fibrillation

A group of 29 international experts warns that combining hypertension and atrial fibrillation poses a serious health risk. They suggest that simultaneous screening for both conditions could help prevent many strokes. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, significantly increases the risks associated with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm. Professor Teemu Niiranen, the lead author from the University of Turku in Finland, emphasizes that high blood pressure can lead to atrial fibrillation and that both contribute to strokes, heart failure, and dementia. He calls for urgent changes in how screening is conducted to better address these linked conditions. Many people with atrial fibrillation are not diagnosed until they suffer a stroke. Simple methods, like pulse checks and automatic alerts on blood pressure monitors, could help detect the condition early. Niiranen suggests that integrating atrial fibrillation screening into routine blood pressure checks would save lives by identifying at-risk patients sooner.