Prevalence of sudden cardiac death in dogs with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in humans, independent of secondary risk factors such as thrombogenic disorders. In dogs, SCD is described in a number of heart diseases, but an association between AF and SCD is unreported.

Hypothesis: (a) A higher proportion of dogs with AF will experience SCD, and (b) SCD will be associated with complex ventricular arrhythmias.