Exploring Public Interest in Atrial Fibrillation and Its Treatment Measures: A Google Trends Analysis

Google Trends is a tool that analyzes the frequency of search terms over time, providing insights into public interest and behavior regarding various health topics. This research aims to utilize Google Trends to assess public interest in atrial fibrillation (AF) and inform healthcare strategies accordingly. The data provided by Google Trends is called relative search volume (RSV). This study evaluates changes in interest related to AF, including its medications and procedures, in the United States over 10 years.

A cross-sectional original research study was conducted in July 2024 using the data obtained from Google Trends. The data collected were then exported to Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, US) and analyzed using statistical methods.

The RSV for all conditions showed an upward trend from 2014 to 2023. The RSV for "AF" was constant from 2014 to 2018, while "tachycardia" remained constant from 2014 to 2021. Searches for "AF" consistently exceeded those for "tachycardia" and "palpitations." Interest in medications such as "metoprolol," "diltiazem," "flecainide," "sotalol," "amiodarone," "dofetilide," and "aspirin" also increased. Similarly, the RSV for procedures like "cardioversion", "artificial cardiac pacemaker," and "left atrial appendage occlusion" also rose over the past five years.

This study demonstrates a rising public interest in AF. Searches related to medications such as amiodarone, metoprolol, diltiazem, and flecainide, as well as procedures including cardioversion, artificial cardiac pacemaker, and left atrial appendage occlusion, have all shown increasing trends.