Kornej J, Huang Q, Preis SR, et al. - Researchers assessed temporal trends in cause-specific mortality as well as factors predictive for cardiovascular (CVD) and non-CVD deaths in participants with incident atrial fibrillation (AF) in the Framingham Heart Study. All newly diagnosed AF cases were divided based on age at AF diagnosis (< 70, 70 to < 80, and ≥ 80 years) and epoch of AF diagnosis (< 1990, 1990–2002, and ≥ 2003). In AF cases diagnosed < 70 years and 70 to < 80 years, decreasing CVD mortality was evident; this was not found in cases diagnosed ≥ 80 years. In cases diagnosed < 70 years, the cumulative incidence of CVD mortality at 75 years was estimated to be 67.7% and 13.9% in epoch 1 and in epoch 3, respectively; in those 70 to < 80 years, the incidence at 85 years was estimated to be 58.9% and 18.9% in epoch 1 and 3, respectively. The following factors were linked with elevated rate of CVD death: advancing age, prior heart failure, and prior myocardial infarction. Over time, a reduction in CVD mortality has been seen in AF cases. In AF patients, most deaths are no longer CVD-associated, irrespective of age at AF diagnosis.