| AF is usually not life-threatening if it is properly diagnosed and treated. In younger people who have no other disease that affects the heart, AF usually is not considered serious. In some people, however, AF increases the risk of stroke, congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy. According to the Framingham Heart Study, people with AF have a 3 to 5 times greater risk of stroke, especially individuals who are older than 65, have already had a stroke, or have high blood pressure, diabetes or congestive heart failure. These risks can be reduced by the careful use of blood thinners such as coumadin Sometimes, AF also can damage heart muscle, alter the normal electrical signals of the heart and change the patterns of contraction and relaxation of heart muscle. This is known as electrical remodeling. | 
