Figure 1.

A schematic illustration of the clinical importance of AF, along with the various topics dealt with in the invited review articles of the present issue. The principal consequences of AF that are illustrated include associated morbidity, mortality, and economic costs. The double-line surrounding AF and its consequences indicates the difficulty of making a significant impact by innovations in diagnosis, prevention, and therapy. Eight of the review articles deal with specific themes of AF research and one review paper discusses in a more general way the challenges and obstacles to clinical translation of novel basic research insights, as well as some potential solutions. AF, atrial fibrillation.