![\"Atrial](\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/Images\/AFib-Heart-Valve-Disease-Center.jpg\")
<\/p>\nIf you have been diagnosed with heart valve disease, here’s a really important fact to know…<\/p>\n
According to Dr. Marc Gerdisch, the Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Franciscan Health, up to 35% of patients with heart valve disease also suffer from atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm.<\/p>\n
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Unfortunately, patients with AFib are 5 times more likely to suffer a stroke, according to the American Heart Association<\/a>.<\/p>\n Another unfortunate reality is that AFib is significantly under-treated<\/strong> when patients go in for heart valve surgery.<\/p>\n In fact, according to new research from Dr. Patrick McCarthy, Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Northwestern Medicine, only 38% of patients with mitral valve disease and AFib get their AFib treated during cardiac procedures. (Yes, you read that right… Only 38%!!!!)<\/p>\n For this reason, we launched an AFib & Heart Valve Education Center in 2015 to (i) help patients with heart valve disease learn more about AFib and (ii) help patients advocate for treatment.<\/p>\n Today, I’m excited to announce that we just relaunched the AFib & Heart Valve Education Center<\/a> with new educational content, videos, free downloads and an AFib & Heart Valve Surgeon Finder<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Many thanks to all the doctors who helped us update the new AFib Education Center.<\/p>\n In particular, a special thanks goes to Dr. Marc Gerdisch<\/a>, Dr. Patrick McCarthy<\/a> and Dr. Vaughn Starnes<\/a> for filming several educational videos with me!<\/p>\n![\"Atrial](\"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/Images\/AFib-Heart-Valve-Disease-Prevalence.jpg\")
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