Prevalence of Sub-Clinical Atrial Fibrillation in Elderly Patients With Hypertension, Detected Using an External Loop Recorder

Inclusion Criteria: Patients will be eligible for inclusion if they meet all of the following: 1. Age ≥ 80 years 2. History of hypertension OR a blood pressure of ≥ 140/90 mmHg 3. Attending a primary care clinic, OR ambulatory resident of a chronic care facility 4. At least one of the following additional risk factors for developing AF: 1. Diabetes 2. Body mass index ≥ 30 3. History of smoking 4. Documented Obstructive sleep apnea 5. Cardiovascular disease 6. Heart Failure 7. Left ventricular hypertrophy (on ECG or echocardiography) 5. Provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: 1. ECG documented history of AF or atrial flutter, with an episode duration ≥ 6 minutes 2. Existing implanted pacemaker or defibrillator 3. Patients considered by the investigator to be unsuitable for study follow-up because the patient: 1. is unreliable concerning the requirements for follow-up during the study and/or compliance with the use of the external loop recorder 2. has a life expectancy less that the expected study duration due to concomitant disease 3. has a condition which in the opinion of the investigator, would not allow current chronic treatment with anticoagultion -