Sanjiv Narayan, a medical professional and entrepreneur, is co-founder of Topera, Inc., which was recently acquired by Abbott Laboratories. One of the medical conditions that Sanjiv Narayan focuses on is atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation, commonly called AF, refers to an irregular or rapid heart rate (arrhythmia). This condition, which feels like a quivering or trembling heart, increases people’s chances of heart failure, stroke, and other complications.
AF results when the two upper chambers of the heart, called the atria, have dangerously irregular beats that don’t harmonize with the beats of the two lower chambers of the heart, called the ventricles. Symptoms of AF include shortness of breath, palpitations, and weakness.
For some patients, AF is sporadic, and for others, it is constant. Since AF is a serious condition, it merits treatment by a medical professional as it indicates that there may be underlying problems. It is estimated that up to 15% and 20% of stroke patients may have AF - which is often undiagnosed. One important research area is to determine if treating AF can reduce the risk for stroke.
