Atrial fibrillation (also called AFib) is the most common form of irregular heart rhythm that often occurs in combination with hypertension and could lead to a stroke if left unchecked. For people already measuring blood pressure at home as part of their hypertensive care, regular electrocardiogram (ECG) screening can help to identify heart rhythm irregularities that can lead to more serious cardiac problems.
People with high blood pressure have a higher risk—40% in women and 50% in men—of atrial fibrillation (AFib), both of which are leading identifiers of stroke. AFib is associated with a 5x greater risk of stroke, but effective treatment may reduce this risk. In the early stages of AFib, the condition recurs less frequently and is more difficult to detect.