Whites at Highest Risk for Irregular Heart Rhythm, Study Finds | WPN World People News

Whites are more likely than other racial or ethnic groups in the United States to develop a common heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation, a new study finds.

The condition -- caused by a problem in the heart's electrical system -- can cause symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath and dizziness. It can also raise the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart failure. Research shows that people older than 40 have a 26 percent lifetime risk of developing atrial fibrillation.

In this study, investigators analyzed data collected from 14 million patients in California between 2005 and 2009, and found that the risk of atrial fibrillation in whites was 16 percent higher than in blacks and 22 percent higher than in Hispanics and Asian Americans.

Study found that consistently, every other race had a statistically significant lower risk of atrial fibrillation compared to whites. So this suggests that white race is itself a risk factor for atrial fibrillation.

The findings suggest "there is some characteristic unique to whites that increases the likelihood of this abnormal heart rhythm."

According to expert, there may be a gene, or a set of genes, in European ancestry or some important behavior or environmental exposure in whites that increases the risk for atrial fibrillation.

However, expert added, "based on several analyses performed in the study, the risk is not related to existing cardiac conditions like high blood pressure or existing heart disease."

Source: U.S. HealthDay News