Atrial fibrillation and stroke risk

Every year, 15 million people suffer a stroke globally, with 5 million losing their lives and another 5 million left permanently disabled (WHO). Cardioembolic stroke, the most severe subtype of ischemic stroke, accounts for approximately 22% of stroke incidence worldwide, and data indicates that, in developed countries, the proportion of cardioembolic stroke reaches over 50%. One explanation might be that atrial fibrillation (AF), one of the most discussed risk factors of cardioembolic stroke, has a higher prevalence in developed countries.

The most significant risk factor of cardioembolic stroke, AF, has a general prevalence of about 1,9-2,9% in the European population and the prevalence increases with age, approaching 17% in the population aged 80 or above. The high prevalence coupled with the fact that AF causes a 4-5 times increase in the risk of stroke.

Clinically the risk of stroke in a patient with AF, independent of type, is today estimated with a clinical scoring instrument like CHA₂DS₂-VASc. However, these instruments have been shown to predict high-risk individuals only modestly, indicating an important need for further improvement in the risk stratification of AF patients.

AF-related strokes have direct healthcare costs of $20,000–40,000 per patient in the first year and total societal costs exceeding $60,000. Globally, the economic burden surpasses $100B annually. Current prevention relies on incomplete and subjective data, missing high-risk patients and overtreating low-risk ones. Healthcare need a scalable, objective tool to identify stroke risk earlier and reduce these costs. Innovations for precise, data-driven insights towards personalized care in stroke prevention – ensuring the right treatment reaches the right patient at the right time, reducing unnecessary risks and improving outcomes.