Title: Atrial Fibrillation: epidemiology, morbidity and mortality

Approximately 4.5 million people in the European Union have paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia with its prevalence of 0.4% to 1% in the general population.

The prevalence of AF increases markedly over the age of 60 years afflicting 3-5 % of the population aged 65 to 75 years increasing to 8% in those older than 80 years. The median age of AF patients is about 75 years and it is estimated that approximately 70% are between 65 and 85 years old. Prevalence figures for AF are probably underestimated because AF may be undiagnosed if sporadic and if not associated with significant symptoms.