These results showed that AF is an independent risk factor for MI , CV death , and CV events
This study aim ed to investigate whether  atrial fibrillation ( AF ) predicts myocardial infa rct ion ( MI ) or cardiovascular ( CV ) death .
AF is a well-established risk factor for thrombotic stroke and all-cause mortality .
Risk of death and cardiovascular events in initially healthy women with new-onset atrial fibrillation.
CONTEXT The risks associated with new-onset atrial fibrillation ( AF ) among middle-aged women and population s with a low comorbidity burden are poorly defined . OBJECTIVES To examine the association between incident AF and mortality in initially healthy women and to evaluate the influence of associated cardiovascular comorbidities on risk . DESIGN , SETTING , AND PARTICIPANTS Between 1993 and March 16 , 2010 , 34,722 women participating in the Women 's Health Study underwent prospect i ve follow-up . Participants were 95 % white , older than 45 years ( median , 53 [ interquartile range { IQR } , 49 - 59 ] years ) , and free of AF and cardiovascular disease at baseline .  Cox proportional hazards models with time-varying covariates were used to determine the risk of events among women with incident AF . Secondary analyses were performed among women with paroxysmal AF . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcomes included all-cause , cardiovascular , and noncardiovascular mortality . Secondary outcomes included stroke , congestive heart failure , and myocardial infa rct ion . RESULTS During a median follow-up of 15.4 ( IQR , 14.7 - 15.8 ) years , 1011 women developed AF . Incidence rates per 1000 person-years among women with and without AF were 10.8 ( 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 8.1 - 13.5 ) and 3.1 ( 95 % CI , 2.9 - 3.2 ) for all-cause mortality , 4.3 ( 95 % CI , 2.6 - 6.0 ) and 0.57 ( 95 % CI , 0.5 - 0.6 ) for cardiovascular mortality , and 6.5 ( 95 % CI , 4.4 - 8.6 ) and 2.5 ( 95 % CI , 2.4 - 2.6 ) for noncardiovascular mortality , respectively . In multivariable models , hazard ratios ( HRs ) of new-onset AF for all-cause , cardiovascular , and noncardiovascular mortality were 2.14 ( 95 % CI , 1.64 - 2.77 ) , 4.18 ( 95 % CI , 2.69 - 6.51 ) , and 1.66 ( 95 % CI , 1.19 - 2.30 ) , respectively . Adjustment for nonfatal cardiovascular events potentially on the causal pathway to death attenuated these risks , but incident AF remained associated with all mortality components ( all-cause : HR , 1.70 [ 95 % CI , 1.30 - 2.22 ] ; cardiovascular : HR , 2.57 [ 95 % CI , 1.63 - 4.07 ] ; and noncardiovascular : HR , 1.42 [ 95 % CI , 1.02 - 1.98 ] ) . Among women with paroxysmal AF ( n = 656 ) , the increase in mortality risk was limited to cardiovascular causes ( HR , 2.94 ; 95 % CI , 1.55 - 5.59 ) . CONCLUSION Among a group of healthy women , new-onset AF was independently associated with all-cause , cardiovascular , and noncardiovascular mortality , with some of the risk potentially explained by nonfatal cardiovascular events
These results showed that AF is an independent risk factor for MI , CV death , and CV events
This study aim ed to investigate whether  atrial fibrillation ( AF ) predicts myocardial infa rct ion ( MI ) or cardiovascular ( CV ) death .
AF is a well-established risk factor for thrombotic stroke and all-cause mortality .