Overview

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent sustained arrhythmia, and its burden is growing fast. The 2021 Global Burden of Disease study estimated that AF/atrial flutter affected 52.55 million people worldwide, a 137% rise since 1990, while AF-related deaths doubled over the same period.

Current guidelines now frame AF as a progressive disease spanning several stages: at risk for AF, pre-AF, AF, and permanent AF. Understanding where a patient sits on that continuum starts with understanding risk.

Traditional risk factors:

• Emerging non-traditional risk factors now under consideration
• The role of laboratory diagnostics in identifying and managing AF risk