Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Composer Irving Berlin wrote 'My heart beats so that I can hardly speak' in the song 'Cheek to Cheek' for the musical Top Hat. While this No. 1 song depicts love, there are other reasons for a fast heartbeat and these reasons are not always as much fun as falling in love. Around half a million Australians live with atrial fibrillation, a type of arrhythmia where your heart beats irregularly and fast. Atrial fibrillation reduces your heart's ability to pump blood properly, which can in some cases lead to blood clots forming and even stroke. Up to 30 per cent of people with atrial fibrillation don't know they have an underlying heart condition, putting them at increased risk of stroke or heart failure.

Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Week was held last week. Given my own family has been touched by atrial fibrillation and I am co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Heart Health group, I thought it timely to highlight this important week and build awareness of this condition. Charitable organisation Hearts 4 Heart was formed in 2011 to provide support, education and advocacy on heart disease for the millions of Australians living with heart disease. This year was the ninth annual Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Week they have organised.

Atrial fibrillation affects men and women of any age. However, your risk of having the condition increases with age, particularly for those aged over 65 years. Other risk factors include: physical inactivity; being overweight or obese; disrupted sleep; having diabetes; being a smoker; high cholesterol; and high blood pressure. You can find out more about atrial fibrillation at hearts4heart.org.au. If you think you might be at risk, please consider speaking with your GP and getting your heart checked. Senators can also attend our annual Heart Health Day in Parliament House on Wednesday 23 November this year.