Predictors of Stroke in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Retrospective Study

Background Stroke remains one of the most serious complications of atrial fibrillation (AF) and is associated with substantial long-term disability and mortality worldwide. Objective The objective of this study is to determine the frequency and independent predictors of ischemic stroke among patients with AF and assess the associations of demographic, clinical, and echocardiographic factors with stroke occurrence. Methods This retrospective study was conducted at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, from October 2022 to October 2025 and included 225 patients with non-valvular AF. Medical records were reviewed to collect demographic characteristics, comorbidities, laboratory and echocardiographic findings, and anticoagulation status. Stroke events included both prior history and incident events confirmed by CT or MRI during the study period. "Inadequate anticoagulation" was defined as subtherapeutic INR (