OBJECTIVES: To estimate the disease burden of atrial fibrillation and to describe its impact on Colombian population health METHODS: We calculated Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALYs) for atrial fibrillation, by adding years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLL) plus years lived with disability (YLD). For calculating YLL it were consulted both death registration and abridged-life tables at national statistic agency DANE for 2000-2009. For calculating YLD it were consulted individual records of service providers for 2009-2010. It were also consulted the map of weighted disability from the Global Burden of Disease study. For data processing we used a template developed in Microsoft Excel® according to the method described by WHO in October 2001 and taking into account the parameters and formulas that have been described by Murray and Lopez (1996) and Mathers et al (2001).  RESULTS: In 2000, 2004 and 2009 it was lost due to atrial fibrillation 12,138; 13,188 and 15,327 DALYs in the Colombian population with a ratio of 0.30, 0.31 and 0.34 DALY per thousand people respectively. The relative weight of DALYs was given by the disability component (91.46%). Men accounted for an average of 58% of estimated DALYs; and the most affected age was that of 70-79 years old CONCLUSIONS: The estimated DALYs show that atrial fibrillation is a disease highly disabling in the Colombian population during the study period, given the predominance of the component of years lived with disability (YLD).