Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Blood pressure and the risk of stroke in young patients with atrial fibrillation
- Using the Korean Health Insurance Service database
Authors' conclusion
For young patients aged 20-39 years diagnosed with AF, elevated SBP, DBP, and extreme PP are associated with increased risks of ischemic stroke.
Study context
- Population
- Patients aged 20–39 years, newly diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF) between January 2009 and December 2016patients included
- Participants
- 15,980 patients
- Exposure
- association between blood pressure (BP) levels and incident ischemic stroke in young adults with AF
- Outcome
- Incident ischemic stroke
- Follow-up
- Median 5.2 years (interquartile range 3.1-7.3)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Hazard ratio (95% CI)
SBP 140-159 mmHg vs SBP <100 mmHg
8.39(1.02–68.73)
SBP ≥160 mmHg vs SBP <100 mmHg
11.59(1.14–118.05)
DBP ≥95 mmHg vs DBP <65 mmHg
4.18(1.26–13.87)
PP <30 mmHg vs PP 40-49 mmHg
3.96(1.36–11.53)
PP 50-59 mmHg vs PP 40-49 mmHg
1.82(1.04–3.18)
PP ≥60 mmHg vs PP 40-49 mmHg
3.15(1.49–6.64)
- patients had incident ischemic stroke
- 73
- incidence rate
- 0.9 per 1000 person-years
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Baseline characteristics
- mean age
- 32.4 ± 4.8 years
- men
- 66.9%
- Mean CHA2DS2-VASc score
- 0.7 ± 0.8
- oral anticoagulation rate
- 5.6%
Original publication
Blood pressure and the risk of stroke in young patients with atrial fibrillation. Heart Rhythm. Published 6 February 2026. doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2026.01.045
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it