Study by University of Birmingham finds higher stroke and dementia risks in atrial fibrillation patients compared to healthy individuals.

A study by the University of Birmingham reveals that people with atrial fibrillation (AF), a common heart problem, may face higher risks of stroke and vascular dementia than expected. Researchers examined data on over 5 million people and found that even in the low-risk group, 3.8% of AF patients had a stroke compared to 1.5% of healthy individuals. Additionally, 9% of people with AF died, while the death rate among healthy individuals was 5%. The study also highlighted the limitations of current risk assessment tools.