Atrial fibrillation (AF) represents the most common arrhythmia worldwide and its prevalence exponentially increases with age. It is related to increased risk of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism, which determines a significant burden of morbidity and mortality, as widely documented in the literature. AF also constitutes a risk factor for other less investigated conditions, such as heart failure, pulmonary embolism, impairment in physical performance, reduced quality of life, development of disability, mood disorders and cognitive impairment up to dementia. In the elderly population, the management of AF and its complications is particularly complex due to the heterogeneity of the ageing process, the lack of specific evidence-based recommendations, as well as the high grade of comorbidity and disability characterizing the over 65 years aged people. In the present review, we aim to summarize the pieces of the most updated evidence on AF complications beyond stoke, mainly focusing on the elderly population.

心房颤动（AF）代表着世界上最常见的心律不齐，其患病率随年龄呈指数增长。如文献中广泛记载的，它与缺血性中风或全身性栓塞的风险增加有关，这决定了发病率和死亡率的重大负担。房颤也构成了其他未被研究的疾病的风险因素，例如心力衰竭，肺栓塞，身体机能减退，生活质量下降，残疾发展，情绪障碍和直至痴呆的认知障碍。在老年人群中，由于衰老过程的异质性，缺乏具体的循证医学建议，房颤及其并发症的管理尤为复杂，以及65岁以上老年人的高合并症和残疾特征。在本综述中，我们旨在总结卒中后房颤并发症的最新证据，主要针对老年人群。