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Published on: February 26, 2013
Drivers of hospitalization in atrial fibrillation: A contemporary review
Aditya Bhat1, Shaun Khanna2, Henry H L Chen2
1Department of Cardiology, Blacktown Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Insights
Hospitalizations for atrial fibrillation (AF) are increasing, driving costs. This review identifies risk factors, assessment tools, and treatments to reduce AF burden and hospital admissions.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) related hospitalizations have significantly increased over the past two decades.
- These hospitalizations represent a major driver of overall healthcare expenditure related to cardiovascular disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review identified drivers of AF-related hospitalizations.
- To discuss tools for assessing hospitalization risk.
- To highlight treatment strategies for reducing AF burden and hospital admissions.
Main Methods:
- Review of data from multiple registries and large-scale clinical trials.
- Identification of cardiovascular and non-traditional risk factors for hospitalization.
- Evaluation of existing assessment tools for hospitalization risk.
- Summary of evidence-based treatment paradigms.
Main Results:
- Key cardiovascular and non-traditional risk factors contributing to AF hospitalizations have been identified.
- Various assessment tools, including symptom scores and cardiac structural assessments, can help determine hospitalization risk.
- Established treatment strategies demonstrate efficacy in reducing AF burden, disease progression, and hospital admissions.
Conclusions:
- Understanding AF hospitalization drivers is crucial for managing healthcare costs.
- Utilizing available assessment tools can aid in proactive patient management.
- Implementing proven treatment paradigms can effectively mitigate AF progression and reduce hospitalizations.
Abstract:
Atrial fibrillation (AF)-related hospitalization has risen over the last 2 decades and is the most influential determinant of total disease-related expenditure. In this review article, we describe several identified drivers of hospitalization from several registries and large-scale clinical trials, including key cardiovascular and non-traditional risk factors. We also discuss available assessment tools for discerning overall risk of hospitalization, including AF symptom scores, thrombosis and bleeding disposition, and non-invasive cardiac structural assessment. Finally, we highlight the different treatment paradigms that have been proven to reduce AF burden, progression, and hospitalization in the literature.
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