Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice.
- Currently, >50% of patients with AF are ≥75 yr old, and it is projected that by 2050 half of all adults with AF will be ≥80 yr old.
- AF is an independent predictor of increased mortality in older adults, conferring relative risks of 1.10–1.15 in men and 1.20–1.25 in women.
- AF accounts for about 10% of strokes in patients 50–59 yr old, but about 30% of strokes in patients 80–89 yr old.*
* Marini C, De Santis F, Sacco S, et. Al. Contribution of atrial fibrillation to incidence and outcome of ischemic stroke: results from a population-based study. Stroke. 2005;36(6):1115–1119. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.str.0000166053.83476.4a