David Heidtman was enjoying a trip in WA’s Kimberley region in 2022 when he received a notification he had an irregular heart rate.
The now 76-year-old Sydney local just assumed he had come down with something.
“I started feeling a bit unwell, I thought it was probably just the flu or a virus of some sort,” he said.
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But when he returned home, he was prompted to see a cardiologist.
Heidtman was shocked to then be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation — a condition which causes an irregular pulse or heartbeat.
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An estimated half a million Australians have AF, and it is the second-most expensive cardiovascular disease in Australia.
While the condition itself is manageable, it places sufferers at an increased risk of stroke — with one in four strokes attributed to AF.
“The way the cardiologist explained it stayed with me, he said: ‘It’s not so much the AF as much as how it puts you at a higher risk of other life-threatening conditions such as blood clots and stroke’,” Heidtman said.
Heidtman underwent a series of treatments, inducing electroshock therapy, which helped him manage the AF.
“I felt significantly better after that,” he said.
However, to further reduce the risk, Heidtman, underwent a cardiac ablation in January 2024.
Now, Heidtman says he has been able to manage the condition and overall feels significantly better.
“Life’s been terrific, I keep monitoring it with my smart watch — it alerts me to irregularities,” he said.
“I was keen to monitor atrial fibrillation progress.
“Without it … I probably would have put it all down to just feeling sick with a virus or something.”
Experts are calling for increased awareness of the “major public health issue” that is AF.
In 2020-2021 an estimated $1.4 billion was spent on AF, with about 5.4 per cent of the Australian population diagnosed with the condition.
MQ Health Cardiology associate professor Chrishan Nalliah said more research into the condition is needed involving genetic and molecular advancements, to significant breakthroughs in device and lead technologies.
However, she added the increased use of fitness watches and trackers has immensely helped Australians keep an eye on their heart health.
“When it comes to heart health management, people often think of implantable devices such as pacemakers, but wearable devices like smart watches and fitness trackers can play a critical role in identifying underlying abnormalities of heart rhythm or other health parameters, which can drastically improve the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation,” she said.
Anyone experiencing a rapid heartbeat or palpitations, dizziness, unexplained tiredness, shortness of breath, fainting, swelling of the ankles or chest pain, should speak with their GP about getting a heart check with a stethoscope.
