Sophia Antipolis – 25 April 2021 : There are no screening programmes for atrial fibrillation in Europe, according to a study presented at EHRA 2021, an online scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). 1 Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder, affecting more than 40 million individuals globally. 2 People with the disorder have a five times greater risk of stroke. Symptoms of atrial fibrillation include palpitations, fatigue, and chest pain. Interviews with regulators and leading healthcare professionals, conducted by the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) of the ESC, lay the groundwork for AFFECT-EU, a large-scale EU funded project to detect atrial fibrillation and prevent subsequent strokes and death.