BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in the United States, affecting 2.3 million Americans. AF is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and poor quality of life. AF and its treatments result in high healthcare resource use and costs. OBJECTIVE: To develop a framework for public health action for the prevention, detection, and control of AF. METHODS: A literature search was conducted via MEDLINE and CINAHL for the 1990-2004 period. Key words included atrial fibrillation, epidemiology, prevention, detection, treatment, and public health. RESULTS: Published data predict a substantial increase in the prevalence of AF due to improved survival of people with coronary heart disease; increasing prevalence of hypertension, heart failure, and diabetes; and the aging of the American population. Low public awareness of AF and quality-of-care issues related to detection, control, and management are evident. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness, early detection and treatment, improved patient self-management, and attention by public health programs are essential to reduce the burden of AF. Partnerships among professional nursing and medical organizations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and patient advocacy groups represent another important approach to improving public health outcomes for AF. Hospitalizations for AF and controversies over optimal treatment strategies (e.g., rate vs rhythm control) underscore the need for both public health and applied research.
BACKGROUND:Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in the United States, affecting 2.3 million Americans. AF is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and poor quality of life. AF and its treatments result in high healthcare resource use and costs. OBJECTIVE: To develop a framework for public health action for the prevention, detection, and control of AF. METHODS: A literature search was conducted via MEDLINE and CINAHL for the 1990-2004 period. Key words included atrial fibrillation, epidemiology, prevention, detection, treatment, and public health. RESULTS: Published data predict a substantial increase in the prevalence of AF due to improved survival of people with coronary heart disease; increasing prevalence of hypertension, heart failure, and diabetes; and the aging of the American population. Low public awareness of AF and quality-of-care issues related to detection, control, and management are evident. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness, early detection and treatment, improved patient self-management, and attention by public health programs are essential to reduce the burden of AF. Partnerships among professional nursing and medical organizations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and patient advocacy groups represent another important approach to improving public health outcomes for AF. Hospitalizations for AF and controversies over optimal treatment strategies (e.g., rate vs rhythm control) underscore the need for both public health and applied research.
Authors: T Reinhold; S Rosenfeld; F Müller-Riemenschneider; S N Willich; T Meinertz; P Kirchhof; B Brüggenjürgen Journal: Herz Date: 2012-08 Impact factor: 1.443
Authors: Robert Briggs; Breffni Drumm; Ruth Dwyer; Des O'Neill; Sean P Kennelly; Tara Coughlan; Ronan Collins Journal: Ir J Med Sci Date: 2019-06-29 Impact factor: 1.568
Authors: Arun Govindapillai; Jafna L Cox; Lehana Thabane; Steve Doucette; Feng Xie; James H MacKillop; Antonio Ciaccia; Shurjeel H Choudhri; Joanna M Nemis-White; Laura M Hamilton; Ratika Parkash Journal: CJC Open Date: 2022-03-08
Authors: Thomas Meinertz; Wilhelm Kirch; Ludger Rosin; David Pittrow; Stefan N Willich; Paulus Kirchhof Journal: Clin Res Cardiol Date: 2011-05-01 Impact factor: 5.460