A new risk factor for predicting stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation: morning blood pressure surge.

Background: Stroke, the most feared complication in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), is still an important cause of mortality and morbidity. In our study, we aimed to investigate the frequency of stroke and related parameters in patients with atrial fibrillation, for whom 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was performed.

Method: A total of 282 patients with permanent AF were included in this study.