FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ann-Marie White
Heart Rhythm Society
(202) 464-3476
awhite@hrsonline.org

WASHINGTON, DC — The Heart Rhythm Society applauds the introduction of House Resolution 255 which calls for a National Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Awareness Month in September. Introduced by Representative C.A. ‘”Dutch” Ruppersberger (D-MD) and co-sponsored by Kay Granger (R-TX), the resolution will support efforts to raise awareness about AF which impacts approximately 2.2 million Americans each day as well as promote prevention and advance optimal patient care.

“The Heart Rhythm Society commends Representatives Rupersberger and Granger for taking a leadership role in bringing national attention to the serious problem of AF,” said Dr. N.A. Mark Estes III, president of the Heart Rhythm Society. “Currently, less than 30% of AF patients receive the recommended treatment. Therefore, an AF Awareness Month will play an important role in not only raising awareness but also improving patient care and ultimately saving lives.”

During AF, the top chambers of the heart (the atria) quiver (fibrillate) erratically, resulting in a rapid and irregular heartbeat, sometimes beating even faster than 200 times a minute. AF not only causes heart palpitations, fatigue and debilitating pain that can severely impact quality of life, it quintuples a person’s risk of stroke. It is estimated that AF is responsible for approximately 88,000 deaths and costs the US healthcare system nearly $16 billion annually.