Atrial fibrillation affects approximately 1% of the general population, and the prevalence of AF increases with increasing age, such that 10-15% of individuals aged 80 years or greater suffer from AF. Various projections estimate at least a doubling of the prevalence of AF over the next 30-40 years. Stroke is a serious, often disabling complication of AF. The Framingham Heart Study demonstrates a roughly five-fold increase in the risk of stroke in patients with AF. The proportion of strokes attributable to AF also increases with age, such that one quarter to one third of all strokes in octogenarians are related to atrial fibrillation.