A systematic evaluation of the available evidence suggests similarities as well as important differences in the risk factors for incidence of AF as compared with other cardiovascular diseases , which has implication s for the primary prevention strategies for atrial fibrillation
Established primary prevention strategies of cardiovascular diseases are based on underst and ing of risk factors , but whether the same risk factors are associated with  atrial fibrillation ( AF )  remains unclear .
Pulse pressure and risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation.
CONTEXT  Atrial fibrillation ( AF )  is responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality , making identification of modifiable risk factors a priority . Increased pulse pressure , a reflection of aortic stiffness , increases cardiac load and may increase AF risk . OBJECTIVE To examine relations between pulse pressure and incident AF . DESIGN , SETTING , AND PARTICIPANTS Prospect i ve , community-based observational cohort in Framingham , Mass , including 5331 Framingham Heart Study participants aged 35 years and older and initially free from AF ( median age , 57 years ; 55 % women ) . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Incident AF . RESULTS  AF  developed in 698 participants ( 13.1 % ) a median of 12 years after pulse pressure assessment . Cumulative 20-year AF incidence rates were 5.6 % for pulse pressure of 40 mm Hg or less ( 25th percentile ) and 23.3 % for pulse pressure greater than 61 mm Hg ( 75th percentile ) . In models adjusted for age , sex , baseline and time-dependent change in mean arterial pressure , and clinical risk factors for AF ( body mass index , smoking , valvular disease , diabetes , electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy , hypertension treatment , and prevalent myocardial infa rct ion or heart failure ) , pulse pressure was associated with increased risk for AF ( adjusted hazard ratio [ HR ] , 1.26 per 20-mm Hg increment ; 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 1.12 - 1.43 ; P<.001 ) . In contrast , mean arterial pressure was unrelated to incident AF ( adjusted HR , 0.96 per 10-mm Hg increment ; 95 % CI , 0.88 - 1.05 ; P = .39 ) . Systolic pressure was related to AF ( HR , 1.14 per 20-mm Hg increment ; 95 % CI , 1.04 - 1.25 ; P = .006 ) ; however , if diastolic pressure was added , model fit improved and the diastolic relation was inverse ( adjusted HR , 0.87 per 10-mm Hg increment ; 95 % CI , 0.78 - 0.96 ; P = .01 ) , consistent with a pulse pressure effect . Among patients with interpretable echocardiographic images , the association between pulse pressure and AF persisted in models that adjusted for baseline left atrial dimension , left ventricular mass , and left ventricular fractional shortening ( adjusted HR , 1.23 ; 95 % CI , 1.09 - 1.39 ; P = .001 ) . CONCLUSION Pulse pressure is an important risk factor for incident AF in a community-based sample . Further research is needed to determine whether interventions that reduce pulse pressure will limit the growing incidence of AF
A systematic evaluation of the available evidence suggests similarities as well as important differences in the risk factors for incidence of AF as compared with other cardiovascular diseases , which has implication s for the primary prevention strategies for atrial fibrillation
Established primary prevention strategies of cardiovascular diseases are based on underst and ing of risk factors , but whether the same risk factors are associated with  atrial fibrillation ( AF )  remains unclear .