People with atrial fibrillation are often less active than the general population, and one reason is a reasonable fear that exertion will provoke an episode. A study following 87,340 Norwegian adults suggests that caution may be costing them protection.
Adults reporting low, moderate, or high physical activity had 9 percent, 19 percent, and 18 percent lower stroke risk, respectively, than those who were not active at all, according to research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. All-cause mortality was 11%, 18%, and 22% lower across those same activity levels.
