A spokesperson for Boehringer Ingelheim said that AF occurs in about 1 percent of Singapore population and its prevalence increases with age. This initiative is timely as Singapore has the third fastest ageing population in the world and thus the burden of AF is expected to rise.

A/Prof De Silva said as AF is a major stroke risk factor, it is important for AF patients to know how to recognise symptoms of stroke.

"Early treatment in the first few hours can limit the devastating effects of stroke. A key feature of the AF pack is the use of the FAST message to easily remember the symptoms of stroke and to educate patients on the importance of seeking treatment as soon as possible when stroke occurs."