Prevalence of Atrial Fibrillation May Double in the Next 16 Years, Study Shows

Physicians can expect a significant increase in the number of patients who will need management of heart failure and stroke risks because the prevalence of atrial fibrillation is expected to double over the next 16 years, according to the results of a study published online on July 8, 2013, in the American Journal of Cardiology. Researchers found that the number of U.S. patients with atrial fibrillation will more than double from 1.2 million cases in 2010 to 2.6 million cases in 2030.