Diabetes mellitus and atrial fibrillation: Perspectives on epidemiological and pathophysiological links

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, which is also associated with a substantial risk of mortality and morbidity from stroke, thromboembolism, heart failure and hospitalisations. On a epidemiological basis, diabetes mellitus is commonly associated with AF. Nonetheless, AF is also associated with vascular disease and hypertension, which are themselves intimately linked to diabetes. Indeed, the precise pathophysiological and clinical relationships between AF and diabetes mellitus are not completely understood. What we do know is that both diabetes and AF are individually bad for our patients, and the presence of both requires aggressive management strategies.