Finding atrial fibrillation: Just keep looking, just keep looking ... (but remember stroke prevention)

摘要

It has long been known that atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac rhythm disorder. Indeed, of adults aged >40, the lifetime risk of developing AF is 1 in 4 and should we be so lucky so as not to sustain a myocardial infarction or heart failure, our lifetime risk is still 1 in 6 [1]. The prevalence and incidence of AF are also increasing, particularly with an increasingly elderly population, and advances in how we manage various cardiovascular conditions, such as myocardial infarction, have resulted in more survivors with damaged hearts.