Recognizing Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month in September
Robi Chatterji, MD, received his medical training at the University of Oklahoma, and he has been practicing as a family physician in Garfield County for the nearly 20 years since. He also runs a private practice in Enid, Oklahoma, where he diagnoses and treats a number of conditions. September is National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month, and although an estimated 2.7 million Americans are living with atrial fibrillation (AFib), a 2009 survey from the American Heart Association showed that one-third of Americans do not recognize it as a serious health risk. A type of irregular heartbeat, AFib is a condition in which the two upper chambers of the heart quiver irregularly, affecting blood supply to the rest of the body. Some patients with AFib may feel quivering sensations and some may not, but the real threat lies in the potential for blood to pool in the heart and form clots. As a result, AFib increases a person’s stroke risk by five times, and the strokes related to AFib are often serious. Other problems associated with AFib include an increased risk for heart failure or other heart rhythm problems. Fortunately, it is possible to treat and manage AFib through lifestyle changes, medications, and surgical procedures.













