Research has shown that the incidence of AF increased from less than 0.1% per year in those under 40 years of age to greater than 1.5% per year in women over 80 age and greater than 2% per year in men over 80 years of age. The age-adjusted incidence in the [[Framingham Heart Study]] found that in 38 years of follow-up, 20.6% of men and 26.0% of women who had developed AF had [[congestive heart failure]] at inclusion versus 3.2% and 2.9%, respectively, of those without AF. Among patients referred for treatment of [[heart failure]], the 2-to-3-year incidence of AF was 5% to 10%. There was some evidence to suggest that incidence of AF may be lower in heart failure patients with pharmacologic intervention.<ref name="pmid16908781">{{cite journal| author=Fuster V, Rydén LE, Cannom DS, Crijns HJ, Curtis AB, Ellenbogen KA et al.| title=ACC/AHA/ESC 2006 Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and the European Society of Cardiology Committee for Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Revise the 2001 Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation): developed in collaboration with the European Heart Rhythm Association and the Heart Rhythm Society. | journal=Circulation | year= 2006 | volume= 114 | issue= 7 | pages= e257-354 | pmid=16908781 | doi=10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.106.177292 | pmc= | url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=sumsearch.org/cite&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=16908781 }}</ref>
{{CMG}}; {{AE}} {{Fahad}}
===Prevalence===
It should be noted that the prevalence of atrial fibrillation increases with increasing age, and its prevalence is increased among Caucasians, patients with [[hypertension]] and [[valvular heart disease]].<ref name="pmid11601835">{{cite journal |author=Fuster V, Rydén LE, Asinger RW, ''et al'' |title=ACC/AHA/ESC guidelines for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation. A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and the European Society of Cardiology Committee for Practice Guidelines and Policy Conferences (Committee to develop guidelines for the management of patients with atrial fibrillation) developed in collaboration with the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology |journal=Eur. Heart J. |volume=22 |issue=20 |pages=1852–923 |year=2001 |month=October |pmid=11601835 |doi=10.1053/euhj.2001.2983 |url=}}</ref> The prevalence in the general population is 0.4%.<ref name="pmid14297523">{{cite journal |author=OSTRANDER LD, BRANDT RL, KJELSBERG MO, EPSTEIN FH |title=ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS AMONG THE ADULT POPULATION OF A TOTAL NATURAL COMMUNITY, TECUMSEH, MICHIGAN |journal=Circulation |volume=31 |issue= |pages=888–98 |year=1965 |month=June |pmid=14297523 |doi= |url=http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=14297523}}</ref>
==Overview==
===United States===
Approximately 2.2 million individuals in the United States and 4.5 million in the European Union have AF.<ref name="pmid16908781" /><ref>{{cite journal |author=Go AS, Hylek EM, Phillips KA, ''et al'' |title=Prevalence of diagnosed atrial fibrillation in adults: national implications for rhythm management and stroke prevention: the AnTicoagulation and Risk Factors in Atrial Fibrillation (ATRIA) Study |journal=JAMA |volume=285 |issue=18 |pages=2370–5 |year=2001 |pmid=11343485|doi=10.1001/jama.285.18.2370}}</ref>
