Atrial Fibrillation AF is the most common arrhythmia and a major modifiable risk factor for stroke. AF increases 4- to 5-fold the risk of IS and is associated with higher death and disability.19 The attrib- utable risk of stroke from AF increases with age, from 1.5% for those aged 50 to 59 years to nearly 25% for those aged 80 Whites carry the highest prevalence ofAF compared with blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and other ethnic groups.365 367 The overall number of men and women with AF is similar, but 60% of AF patients aged >75 years are women.368,369 Given that AF increases with age and that women have greater life expectancy, there will be an increasing number of Table 12. Metabolic Syndrome and Stroke HR, OR, or RR (95% CI) First Author Study Site n Follow-up, y Type of Study End Point Stroke Subtypes MetSD Definition Women Men Boden- USA 3298 Median: Prospective cohort Clinically defined stroke* Taiwan 3453 Mean: Prospective cohort Clinically defined stroke USA 10357 NA Cross-sectional Self-reported stroke cohort Clinically defined stroke Ischemic, hemorrhagic Japan 1493 Mean: Prospective cohort Clinically defined stroke Ischemic Other RR: 23.1 (2.7 196) NA USA, Europe, Asia 92732 Variable Review of prospective cohort Clinically defined stroke Ischemic, hemorrhagic NCEP-ATP III, WHO ATP III indicates Adult Treatment Panel III; CI, confidence interval; EGIR, European Group for the Study of Insulin Resistance; HR, hazard ratio; IDF, International Diabetes Federation; MetSD, metabolic syndrome; NA, not available; NCEP, National Cholesterol Education Program; OR, odds ratio; RR, relative risk; and WHO, World Health Organization. *Adjusted for MetSD, age, education, insurance status, any physical activity, smoking, moderate alcohol use, and cardiac disease. Adjusted for age, age squared, residential township, smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity level, parental history of stroke, and education level. 