The Sound of AFib

Ms. Marie, a female patient, mistakenly believed that her symptoms of palpitations, shortness of breath, and dizziness were caused by stress or mental health issues, and did not seek medical attention. However, these symptoms were warning signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib), a dangerous arrhythmia. One day, while driving, she lost vision in her left eye, experienced facial paralysis, and suffered a stroke. Her testimony about the fear of “dying in front of her children” highlights the importance of early detection of atrial fibrillation.

Serious Consequences Caused By Women's Tendency to Downplay Symptoms 

Approximately 40% of people with atrial fibrillation have no noticeable symptoms, and even when symptoms do occur, they tend to be overlooked because they quickly subside, such as palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, and fatigue. In particular, many women dismiss these symptoms as “stress” or “menopause,” and surveys show that approximately half of women experience symptoms such as palpitations and shortness of breath but feel anxious about them.

Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation that are Easily Mistaken for Stress 

1. Characteristics of atrial fibrillation symptoms that women tend to overlook: The symptoms Marie experienced are typical signs of atrial fibrillation. Looking back, she says, “My body was sending me warning signs, but I didn't listen.” Symptoms associated with atrial fibrillation vary, including shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, and fatigue, but in women, they are often overlooked for the following reasons. 

   1. Dizziness and palpitations: Often dismissed as menopausal symptoms 

   2. Fatigue and shortness of breath: Often misunderstood as daily stress or age-related physical decline 

   3. Anxiety: Often dismissed as a mental health issue 

   4. Intermittent symptoms: Often dismissed as “no big deal” because they go away quickly

2. The dangerous mechanism of atrial fibrillation: In Marie's case, Dr. Faizal Osman, a cardiologist, says that her upper atrium (the upper chamber of the heart) had stopped beating, causing atrial fibrillation, which made her prone to blood clots. If these blood clots travel to the brain and block blood vessels, they can cause a stroke. The risk of stroke caused by atrial fibrillation increases by approximately five times. Moreover, even if there are no symptoms of atrial fibrillation, there is no difference in the risk of stroke onset or mortality rate. 

   

The Importance of “Before it's Too Late,” As Taught by Marie's Experience

1. Gradual escalation of warning signs: Marie had been experiencing frequent dizziness, palpitations, heart palpitations, and overwhelming anxiety. However, she misunderstood these symptoms as “mental health and stress issues” and did not realize that she had cardiac arrhythmia.

2. Sudden onset of cerebral infarction: One day, while driving, she suddenly lost vision in her left eye and experienced paralysis on the left side of her face. Her experience of “somehow making it home but collapsing in the laundry room” demonstrates the suddenness and severity of cerebral infarction caused by atrial fibrillation.  

3. Realization at the brink of life and death: The testimony that “while I was hospitalized, the doctors were surprised that I had survived” illustrates the severity of cerebral infarction caused by atrial fibrillation. Her words, expressing her fear of dying in front of her children, poignantly convey the importance of early detection and treatment.

   

An Innovative Approach to Expressing Cardiac Arrhythmia Through Music

Auditory perception of normal heart rhythm and atrial fibrillation 

What is striking about the video is the scene where composer Steven Aswin actually converts Marie's electrocardiogram data into music. Normal heartbeats are expressed as a “completely regular rhythm” at a steady tempo, while atrial fibrillation is depicted as a “completely random and unpredictable” sound. This contrast presents the “chaos” of atrial fibrillation, which is difficult to understand from a visual ECG, as an auditory experience that anyone can feel. 

The Future of Preventive Medicine Envisioned by “Going for Zero”  
- A Turning Point Toward Hope - 

Shift to preventive medicine 

As Marie's experience illustrates, heart disease and stroke are major causes of death worldwide that threaten our lives. In Japan, heart disease is the second leading cause of death after cancer, accounting for 14.8% of all deaths. However, as the video message highlights, approximately 80% of deaths caused by heart disease and stroke are preventable. OMRON Healthcare's “Going for Zero ~Promoting Global Health Through Preventive Medicine~” vision focuses on this preventability and aims to achieve “zero incidents of brain and cardiovascular disease.”  

The most important rhythm within us 

OMRON Healthcare's atrial fibrillation awareness campaign, “Listen to your Heart,” carries a message that goes beyond mere medical advice. 

Marie's deep regret that she “didn't listen to her body's warning signs” quietly but powerfully conveys the importance of being more sensitive to the most important rhythm that sustains our lives—the beating of our hearts.  

Ripple effect on society as a whole 

By expressing one patient's experience through the art form of music, it is hoped that more people will become aware of the dangers of atrial fibrillation. Marie's courageous testimony has the potential to save the lives of many women with similar symptoms.