What we need to know about atrial fibrillation, stroke

Approximately one in six, or about 17 percent, of strokes occur in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Strokes caused by AF are more severe, causing disability in over 50 percent of patients and generally worse outcomes than strokes from other causes.

The prevalence of AF increases with age. Hence, it is a growing concern in Asia because of rapidly aging populations. It is estimated that in 2050, Asia will have 72 million AF patients, and 2.9 million of them will suffer from an AF-associated stroke.