Methods and apparatus for reducing the incidence of atrial fibrillation includes selecting a desired ventricular rate, pacing the ventricle of the heart at the desired ventricular rate, and pacing the atrium of the heart at twice the desired ventricular rate while the desired ventricular rate is less than a preferred rate. Some methods of the present invention include pacing the atrium of the heart at the desired ventricular rate while the desired ventricular rate is greater than the preferred rate. Other methods of the present invention include pacing the atrium of the heart at a predetermined/preferred atrial rate while the desired ventricular rate is greater than the preferred rate.