(Health & Medical Publishing Group, 1992-04) Whitelaw, D. A.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia affecting approximately 0,4% of the adult population. Prevalence rises to 2 - 4% in individuals
over 60 years of age. There are many causes of AF,
rheumatic heart disease being one of the more prominent. The combination of rheumatic heart disease and AF is associated with a 17-fold increase in the rate of cerebrovascular accidents compared with the rate in those individuals who do not have valvular disease and who are in sinus rhythm.