Atrial Fibrillation

[huskyman1]

Hi Can anyone advice if atrial fibrillation is a condition or a disease.
And would it fall into critical illness cover under insurance policy.
Google; Atrial fibrillation is a heart disease that leads to the malfunction in the walls of the heart.
But also seen its a condition of the heart that can lead to stroke,heart failure etc.
Any thoughts on this would be help full.

[bednobs]

surely the only people that can answer are the insurers?

[bookbinder]

I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation several years ago. It is not a disease; you don't catch it from other people, like flu. It is, therefore, a condition. 'Critical illness'? I don't know about that. If I hadn't been diagnosed (by a ECG machine) I wouldn't have known that I had it, and I doubt that I have it now. Yes, I have been told that it can lead to the problems that you describe. I was offered medication, at the time, but I declined them all. If I still have atrial fibrillation, I don't know it, so I don't do anything about it.

[LadyCG]

AF is usually well-managed on Warfarin. I wouldn't think the insurers will pay out on that... but I could be wrong.

[woofgang]

bookbinder diseases are not necessarily infections. MS is a disease. I think (but you would need to speak to the insurer) that it would depend on what the af was causing to the person. You can have af that doesn't cause any problems at all. if its declaration for taking out a policy then you should definitely tell them if you have been diagnosed with it. Should you need to claim, they may refuse you on the basis that you didn't disclose eberything when you took out the insurance.

[bednobs]

by your logic cancer isnt a disease but a condition

[bednobs]

i think they tend to use the novel a/c treatment (factor X inhibitors) now Lady

[gness]

A condition, husky, and well managed these days as LadyGC says but I very much doubt with Warfarin.
Interesting question now I'm mulling it over. The reason for the AF is probably going to influence the insurance company more than the actual AF and those reasons can be very complex.

[MallyJ]

I have af...it is managed by blood thinners as when the heart starts to go out of rythmn it slows and then small blood clots can form leading to a stroke...I do not use warfarin..its dosage needed to be managed very carefully...there are more up to date blood thinners..I have rivaroxyban which, for me , is a 1 a day pill. I still go into a fib reasonably regularly and this does have the kind of effect that if I drove I would stop immediately as I would be a serious danger to others

[Sqad]

It is BOTH.

[gness]

You're right of course, Sqad....but I'm sticking with condition! :-)