Emerging strategies for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cause of stroke. In the US nearly 800,000 people suffer stroke each year and about 130,000 die as a result. Stroke care accounts for an estimated US$34 billion in health care expenditures in the US each year. Among all strokes, AF is the cause in 15-20 % of cases. The incidence of AF in the US has grown steadily over time to a current estimate of 6.1 million with the condition. With the anticipated growth in the worldwide AF population, the need for effective new therapeutic strategies for stroke prevention is clear.