4. DISCUSSION
Our principal findings from this elderly population-based cohort study were as follows: (i) About a third of SSS occurred 30 days before or after the diagnosis of incident AF; (ii) incident AF was associated with an increased risk of SSS, independent of heart failure or myocardial infarction; (iii) incident AF increased the risk of SSS in all subgroups regardless of sex, age, economic status, and comorbidities; and (iv) Among patient with AF, the use of antiarrhythmic drugs was associated with an increased risk of SSS. These findings support the strong association between AF and SSS.