https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190802131352.htm

While common, atrial fibrillation often is fleeting. Therefore, it is challenging to diagnose. Atrial fibrillation may not occur during a standard 10-second, 12-lead EKG, and people are often unaware of its presence. Prolonged monitoring methods, such as a loop recorder, require a procedure and are expensive.

Accuracy and timeliness are important in making an atrial fibrillation diagnosis. Left undetected, atrial fibrillation can cause stroke, heart failure and other cardiovascular disease. Knowing that a patient has atrial fibrillation helps direct treatment with blood thinners, notes Paul Friedman, M.D., chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Friedman, who is a cardiac electrophysiologist, is the study's senior author.