Navigation   Also visit:                 > Gastric bug link to irregular heart rhythm, atrial fibrillation A common stomach bug may also be linked to the development of irregular heart rhythm, also known as atrial fibrillation, suggests a small study in Heart. (I-Newswire) - The bug in question, Helicobacter pylori, causes ulcers, and has also been implicated in the development of stomach cancer and ischaemic heart disease. The researchers base their findings on 59 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation. The patients included those who had no structural heart disease. All the patients were given a battery of tests, including a heart tracing, and levels of C reactive protein, an indicator of systemic inflammation. They were also directly tested for the presence of H pylori. The results were compared with those from a group of 45 heal

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