Adverse prognosis of incidentally detected ambulatory atrial fibrillation

30,260 adults (18-84 years) from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink, including 5,555 patients with incidentally detected ambulatory atrial fibrillation (IA-AF) and 24,705 age- and gender-matched controls without AF. Mean age 70.9, 38.4% female. Excluded: history of valvular heart disease, heart failure, prior cardioversion, prior use of oral anticoagulants, or recent stroke/TIA.

Incidentally detected ambulatory atrial fibrillation (IA-AF). A secondary analysis evaluated the effect of oral anticoagulants (vitamin K antagonists) +/- antiplatelets, or antiplatelets alone (aspirin and/or clopidogrel), in the year following IA-AF diagnosis.

Age- and gender-matched controls without AF. For the treatment analysis, the comparator was no antithrombotic therapy.

Incidence rates of stroke (ischaemic or unspecified), all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, and major bleeding over a maximum of 3 years follow-up.hard clinical