Multimorbidity Is Associated With Symptom Severity and Disease Progression in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation-Data From the RACE V Study.

Summary: For patients living with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (an irregular heart rhythm that comes and goes), the condition of their heart is often just one piece of the puzzle. A new study from the RACE V trials reveals that "multimorbidity"—suffering from two or more additional chronic conditions like high blood pressure, obesity, or diabetes—significantly changes the outlook for these patients. The research found that as the number of these extra health burdens rises, so does the severity of AF symptoms. Furthermore, patients with multimorbidity are twice as likely to see their atrial fibrillation progress to a more permanent, continuous state. This suggests that treating AF effectively requires looking beyond the heart rhythm and managing the patient’s overall health.