A new study shows that women with atrial fibrillation are at higher risk of a premature death in the period just after the problem begins. The research suggests that when the arrhythmia is first detected in women -- even otherwise healthy, middle-aged people -- doctors should look for other cardiovascular disease and provide therapy to prevent heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.

The findings are from the Women's Health Study, a project following more than 34,000 healthy, middle-aged women for 15 years, published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA). The researchers found higher death rates among the women with new-onset atrial fibrillation. Although there was an increased risk for these women, death rates were still low overall. The authors stated that clinicians should be aggressive in detection and treatment of atrial fibrillation.