Environmental Factors Impact Clinical Outcomes in Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in the world with a lifetime risk of 26% for men and 23% for women. The global prevalence was estimated at 20.9 million males and 12.6 million females in 2010, with as many as 4.7 million total new cases per year.1 AF carries significant comorbidities such as stroke, leading to over 467,000 hospitalizations and over 99,000 deaths per year in the US.2 AF has repeatedly been shown to be associated with poorer quality of life.3 The underlying mechanisms of AF are extremely complex with an integral part involving a systemic inflammatory syndrome.
Source: Mayo Clinic Proceedings - Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research