Your chances of having a stroke are five times higher if you have atrial fibrillation.
Arrhythmias occur throughout the population.
Their severity varies widely. The heart rate speeds up during physical activity, stress or excitement, and slows down during sleep. Beyond these daily changes, probably everyone at some time has premature atrial or ventricular beats. The prevalence of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias tends to increase with age, even when there's no clear sign of heart disease. Certain congenital conditions may make a person prone to arrhythmias.