Current Perspectives: Rheumatic Atrial Fibrillation

AF is a common arrhythmia associated with large burden of morbidity and mortality. In areas with a high prevalence of rheumatic heart disease, valve disease is the most common substrate for the occurrence of AF and this problem assumes greater importance because the resulting escalation in morbidity and mortality involves relatively younger population. As is true of the general population, the prevalence of AF in patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease (RMVD) increases with advancing age.