A patient with atrial fibrillation is at greatest risk of which complication?

Atrial fibrillation causes blood stasis in the atria, predisposing to thrombus formation and embolic stroke, which is why these patients are anticoagulated.Other options: Myocardial infarction and hypertensive crisis are not the characteristic complication of AF; pulmonary fibrosis is unrelated.Key exam takeaway: Atrial fibrillation's hallmark risk = thromboembolic (embolic) stroke; patients are commonly anticoagulated.