Why the study?
Atrial fibrillation increases risks of stroke, heart failure, and death, with heart failure being more frequent and a major contributor to mortality, prompting assessment of the incidence and timing of heart failure in screening-detected atrial fibrillation.
Does screening-detected atrial fibrillation increase the risk of incident heart failure compared to no atrial fibrillation or known atrial fibrillation in older adults?
Population
Participants aged 75–76 years without prior heart failure from STROKESTOP and STROKESTOP II
Comparison
Screening-detected atrial fibrillation vs known atrial fibrillation vs no atrial fibrillation
Design
Post hoc analysis of randomized screening studies
Key result
Screening-detected atrial fibrillation was associated with a higher risk of incident heart failure compared to no atrial fibrillation (adjusted HR 3.19 in STROKESTOP and 4.73 in STROKESTOP II).
Authors
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Screening-detected AF may warrant closer HF monitoring in older adults; extends known associations but leaves causal and screening implications open.
Cohort
Yes
Does screening-detected atrial fibrillation increase the risk of incident heart failure compared to no atrial fibrillation or known atrial fibrillation in older adults?
Hazard Ratio: 3.19
Absolute Event Rate: 3.76% vs 1.08%
Screening-detected atrial fibrillation in older adults is not a benign condition and carries a high risk of incident heart failure, comparable to or higher than that of known atrial fibrillation.
Sado et al. (2026) conducted a cohort in Atrial fibrillation. Screening-detected atrial fibrillation vs. No atrial fibrillation was evaluated on Incident heart failure (HR 3.19). Screening-detected atrial fibrillation was associated with a higher risk of incident heart failure compared to no atrial fibrillation (adjusted HR 3.19 in STROKESTOP and 4.73 in STROKESTOP II).
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