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Atrial Fibrillation: A Review
Ko D, Chung MK, Evans PT, Benjamin EJ, Helm RH.. JAMA, 2025-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
AF is associated with significantly increased risk of stroke, heart failure, myocardial infarction, dementia, chronic kidney disease, and mortality. In patients with estimated risk of stroke and thromboembolic events of 2% or greater per year, anticoagulation with a vitamin K antagonist or direct oral anticoagulant reduces stroke risk by 60% to 80% compared with placebo. Compared with anticoagulation, aspirin is associated with poorer efficacy and is not recommended for stroke prevention. Conclusions and relevance AF is associated with increased rates of stroke, heart failure, and mortality.
Key findings
- AF is associated with significantly increased risk of stroke, heart failure, myocardial infarction, dementia, chronic kidney disease, and mortality.
- In patients with estimated risk of stroke and thromboembolic events of 2% or greater per year, anticoagulation with a vitamin K antagonist or direct oral anticoagulant reduces stroke risk by 60% to 80% compared with placebo.
- Compared with anticoagulation, aspirin is associated with poorer efficacy and is not recommended for stroke prevention.
- Conclusions and relevance AF is associated with increased rates of stroke, heart failure, and mortality.
Why it matters
This review states that atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of dementia among other conditions, and that anticoagulation reduces stroke risk in certain patients. It does not show that treating atrial fibrillation prevents or cures dementia.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 57/100
Published in a top-tier journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 10 / 10 | Tier 1 — top-tier general journal (JAMA) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | JAMA: journal h-index 1,011 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 196 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 65.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 6 / 6 | Cited 53.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 196 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Robert H. Helm: h-index 30 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 8 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39680399) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 57 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Ko, D., Chung, M. K., Evans, P. T., Benjamin, E. J., & Helm, R. H. (2025). Atrial Fibrillation: A Review. JAMA. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.22451
Vancouver
Ko D, Chung MK, Evans PT, Benjamin EJ, Helm RH. Atrial Fibrillation: A Review. JAMA. 2025. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.22451. PMID: 39680399.
BibTeX
@article{ko2025-39680399,
author = {Ko, D. and Chung, M. K. and Evans, P. T. and Benjamin, E. J. and Helm, R. H.},
title = {{Atrial Fibrillation: A Review}},
journal = {JAMA},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1001/jama.2024.22451},
pmid = {39680399},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.22451}
}
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