Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2025
Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
Demographic trends in mortality with older population due to atrial fibrillation and flutter from 1999-2020
Mahnoor Sukaina1, Marium Waheed1, Shafi Rehman2
1Department of Internal Medicine, Karachi Medical and Dental College, Karachi 75270, Pakistan.
Insights
Mortality from atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) has significantly increased in US adults over 65. This 21-year study reveals a 50.2% rise in deaths, highlighting an urgent public health concern.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) are prevalent cardiac arrhythmias.
- Established risk factors include advanced age, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism.
- This study investigates AF/AFL mortality trends from 1999-2020 in older US adults, examining race and sex disparities.
Discussion:
- Mortality rates associated with AF/AFL have shown a consistent upward trend in older adults over the past two decades.
- The overall number of deaths due to AF/AFL in individuals aged 65 and above nearly doubled, representing a 50.2% increase.
- This analysis is the first to provide a comprehensive 21-year estimate of AF/AFL mortality trends in this demographic.
Key Insights:
- A significant increase in AF/AFL-related mortality was observed in older adults (65+) in the United States between 1999 and 2020.
- The study identified a 50.2% rise in deaths attributed to these arrhythmias, nearly doubling the overall mortality count.
- Disparities in mortality trends concerning race and sex were also investigated.
Outlook:
- Further research is needed to understand the underlying causes of increasing AF/AFL mortality in older adults.
- Interventions targeting modifiable risk factors like obesity, hypertension, and diabetes are crucial.
- Public health strategies should address potential racial and sexual disparities in AF/AFL outcomes.
Abstract:
Atrial fibrillation (AF)/atrial flutter (AFL) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia. The known risk factors for developing AF/AFL include age, structural heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or hyperthyroidism. This study aims to attribute the trends in AF/AFL-related mortalities over the past two decades 1999-2020 concerning race and sex and disparity among them. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that estimates the trends and mortality due to AF/AFL from 1999-2020 in older adults in the United States. In this 21-year analysis of mortality data, we found a constant increase in mortality rates due to AF/AFL in older adults. From 1999 to 2020, the overall mortality in older adults aged 65 and above, regardless of sex and race, is found to be almost doubled i.e. about a 50.2% increase in the number of deaths due to AF/AFL. Furthermore, other confounding risk factors such has obesity, prior myocardial infarction, inflammation, hypertension, birth weight, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, hormone replacement therapy in menopausal women increases the risk in the occurrence or recurrent occurrence of AF.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:28Disturbances in Heart Rhythm
Arrhythmias are categorized by their speed, rhythm, and origin. A slow...
01:14Decreased pulse rate
There are specific risk factors that can elevate the likelihood of developing bradycardia. Advanced age is a significant factor, with...
01:17Increased pulse rate
Many factors can elevate the risk of developing tachycardia. These include advanced age, a family history of arrhythmias, and an...
01:20Actuarial Approach
Consider the example of a high-risk surgical procedure with significant early-stage mortality. A two-year clinical study is conducted,...