Atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia affecting patients today. Disease prevalence is increasing at an alarming rate worldwide, and is associated with often catastrophic and costly consequences, including heart failure, syncope, dementia, and stroke. Therapies including anticoagulants, anti-arrhythmic medications, devices, and non-pharmacologic procedures in the last 30 years have improved patients' functionality with the disease. Nonetheless, it remains imperative that further research into AF epidemiology, genetics, detection, and treatments continues to push forward rapidly as the worldwide population ages dramatically over the next 20 years.
Heart Rhythm Services, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA;
Thomas M
TM
Munger
Department of Cardiology, Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China;
Li-Qun
LQ
Wu
Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ 85054, USA.
Win K
WK
Shen
arrhythmias; atrial fibrillation; cardiac; dementia; heart failure; stroke