Early risk of mortality, cardiovascular events, and bleeding in patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and is independently associated with a 1.5- to 2.0-fold higher risk of all-cause death and increased morbidity, in particular for heart failure and stroke. Previous studies have shown that the annual rate of death in AF patients is ∼5%; however, emerging data indicate that the risk of death, but also of thromboembolic and bleeding complications, is highest early after the diagnosis, especially during the first month. In light of these observations, patients with newly diagnosed AF deserve close monitoring and may benefit from a comprehensive care targeting modifiable risk factors for death, such as heart failure, diabetes, renal impairment, and vascular disease. Aim of this report is to focus on timing and causes of death as well as on temporal trends of cardiovascular and bleeding complications in patients with newly diagnosed AF.