{"id":45399,"date":"2026-05-25T10:00:46","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T01:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asiajournaux.com\/?p=45399"},"modified":"2026-05-25T10:00:46","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T01:00:46","slug":"find-it-treat-it-30-second-test-could-help-prevent-stroke-in-indigenous-australians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asiajournaux.com\/?p=45399","title":{"rendered":"Find it, treat it: 30-second test could help prevent stroke in Indigenous Australians"},"content":{"rendered":"

Research\u00a0published today<\/a>\u00a0in the\u00a0Medical Journal of Australia\u00a0found Indigenous Australians develop atrial fibrillation (AF) nearly 16 years earlier on average than non-Indigenous Australians, contributing to substantially higher stroke rates at younger ages.<\/p>\n

AF is a common heart rhythm condition characterised by an irregular heartbeat that can cause blood clots to form in the heart and travel to the brain. It often has no symptoms \u2013 until a clot triggers a stroke.<\/p>\n

AF-related strokes are typically more severe than other types. But AF itself can be detected through a pulse check or a 30-second recording using a portable single-lead ECG device.<\/p>\n

Current Australian guidelines recommend AF screening from age 65.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat threshold is based on population-wide data,\u201d says senior author Associate Professor Kylie Gwynne, Director of UNSW\u2019s Co-design Health Research and Innovation (CHRI) group.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Indigenous people in Australia experience stroke at around two to three times the rate of other Australians,\u201d A\/Prof. Gwynne says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese strokes occur younger, often result in long-term disability and are more likely to be fatal,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

The study recommends screening Indigenous Australians from at least age 55 \u2013\u00a0and earlier for those at elevated stroke risk.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe now have strong evidence showing Indigenous Australians develop AF much earlier,\u201d A\/Prof. Gwynne says.<\/p>\n

She says medication and lifestyle changes can reduce stroke risk by up to 70%, \u201cso, waiting until age 65 to screen misses a critical window for prevention.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier screening needed<\/p>\n

Lead author UNSW\u2019s Dr Vita Christie says the systematic review analysed 24 Australian studies on AF onset, stroke incidence, treatment patterns and outcomes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn some studies, almost half of AF cases for Indigenous people occurred before the age of 55,\u201d Dr Christie says.<\/p>\n

The review also found Indigenous Australians with AF were less likely to receive guideline-recommended therapies, which compounded the risk of preventable stroke.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnder-treatment adds to the problem of under-diagnosis,\u201d Dr Christie says.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur expert panel unanimously recommended AF screening from at least age 55 for Indigenous Australians,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

A clear case for reform<\/p>\n

The study authors include cardiologists, epidemiologists, Aboriginal health leaders and policy and practice experts.<\/p>\n

A\/Prof. Gwynne says the findings of the study reflect more than a decade of collaborative research with Aboriginal communities and primary care services.<\/p>\n

\u201cStroke is not inevitable,\u201d she says. \u201cStroke prevention requires both earlier detection and timely access to treatment.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we can detect AF earlier and ensure appropriate treatment, we can prevent strokes and long-term disability.\u201d<\/p>\n

She says the issue is aligning care with risk.<\/p>\n

\u201cA single screening age across all populations assumes equal risk,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndigenous people with AF are also more likely to have additional cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease and rheumatic heart disease.\u201d<\/p>\n

She compares AF management to another chronic condition familiar in primary care.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe treatment for AF is similar to treatment for type 2 diabetes \u2013 improved diet, exercise and medication,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd, like diabetes, the risks increase if the condition goes untreated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Impact on communities<\/p>\n

Co-author Katrina Ward, CEO of the Brewarrina Aboriginal Medical Service, says earlier screening has direct implications for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs).<\/p>\n

\u201cStroke has devastating impacts on our families and communities,\u201d Ms Ward says.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen strokes happen younger, the consequences ripple through generations \u2013 affecting work, caregiving and community leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n

But, she says, the screening doesn\u2019t always happen, though anyone can use it \u2013 even on smartwatches \u2013\u00a0and it can easily be implemented into routine care.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve seen first-hand that our health workers and community members value early detection.\u201d<\/p>\n

She says national policy change would support community-controlled services to act earlier and prevent harm.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf guidelines recognise earlier risk, it strengthens our ability to secure resources and implement prevention where it\u2019s needed most.\u201d<\/p>\n

A practical solution<\/p>\n

A\/Prof Gwynne says detecting AF is only the first step and that national leadership is now needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cTechnology alone does not prevent stroke,\u201d she says. \u201cSystems of care do. Screening must be accompanied by timely follow-up, culturally responsive communication and access to care aligned to clinical guidelines.\u201d<\/p>\n

The CHRI team developed a free five-minute\u00a0online training module<\/a>\u00a0to help primary care clinicians detect and manage AF earlier.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tools are available. The evidence is clear,\u201d A\/Prof Gwynne says.<\/p>\n

She says guideline bodies and cardiovascular organisations should formally review AF screening recommendations, considering the new evidence. Primary care clinicians working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients should consider opportunistic AF screening from age 55 \u2013\u00a0and earlier for those at higher risk.<\/p>\n

If AF is identified, clinicians should follow established guidelines for managing heart rhythm, reducing stroke risk and addressing co-existing conditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cUpdating screening recommendations is a straightforward, low-cost and immediately actionable step to reduce preventable stroke and advance Closing the Gap,\u201d A\/Prof Gwynne says.<\/p>\n

But, she says, earlier screening alone is not enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cCare pathways must take account of rural and remote access barriers, cost, continuity of care and cultural safety,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we identify AF earlier and treat it effectively, we prevent disability, preserve independence and save lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

This press release has also been published on VRITIMES<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Research\u00a0published today\u00a0in the\u00a0Medical Journal of Australia\u00a0found Indigenous Australians develop atrial fibrillation (AF) nearly 16 years earlier on average than non-Indigenous Australians, contributing to substantially higher stroke rates at younger ages. AF is a common heart rhythm condition characterised by an irregular heartbeat that can cause blood clots to form in the heart and travel to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45400,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-australia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/asiajournaux.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/asiajournaux.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/asiajournaux.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asiajournaux.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asiajournaux.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=45399"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/asiajournaux.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45399\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asiajournaux.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/45400"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/asiajournaux.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=45399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asiajournaux.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=45399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asiajournaux.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=45399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}