Year: 2011
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Atrial fi brillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, aff ecting approximately six million Europeans.Th e lifetime risk of developing AF is one in four men and women after the age of 40 years. Th e prevalence of AF increases dramatically with age, ranging from 1.5% in individuals aged 50– 59 years to 23.5% in those aged 80–89 years. With an ageing population, the prevalence of AF is projected to double by 2030. Stroke is the most devastating complication of AF. Atrial fi brillation causes 15–20% of ischemic strokes and the overall risk of stroke in patients with nonvalvular AF is about 5% per year. Long-term studies have consistently shown that patients with AF have a 5-fold increased risk of stroke compared with individuals without AF. One-third of patients who have atrial fi brillation and stroke were not known to have atrial fi brillation until their stroke. Stroke in patients with AF is nearly twice as likely to be fatal compared with non-AF stroke. Th is is due to the development of large thrombi in the left atrial appendage which travel to the brain causing occlusion of the major intracranial arteries. Th is results in larger infarct volumes and more severe strokes. Th e costs of caring for patients with stroke associated with AF have been shown to be 33% greater for AF-related stroke than for non-AF stroke.
Author: David Russell
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1740698543