Summary

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac rhythm disorder, affecting 3 million people in the United States and 35 million worldwide. Patients with AF have a substantial risk for mortality and morbidity from ischemic stroke, which occurs at 5 times the rate as in the general population. The risk of stroke in people with AF is about 5% per year and AF-related strokes tend to be more severe than strokes in patients without AF [Magnani JW et al. Circulation 2011]. This article discusses the diagnosis and treatment of silent AF.