Birth cohort effect in atrial fibrillation: a matter of detection?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac rhythm disorder, affecting an estimated 43 million people globally.1 In the last 20 years, the incidence of AF increased by 33% and it is expected to increase by threefold in the next three decades.1 Long-term AF management, including outpatient visits, hospitalisations and disabilities from stroke and heart failure (HF), adds substantial burden on healthcare resources and costs, accounting for 2.6% of the total annual healthcare expenditure of European countries.2 As a result, AF has emerged as a major public health concern and a potential future epidemic.1 The increasing temporal trend in AF diagnoses has been attributed to older populations, more survivors of cardiovascular diseases and a higher prevalence of AF risk factors; however, these determinants are interconnected. Age plays a key role in the aetiology of most diseases, including AF and the traditional...
Source: Heart - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Editorials Source Type: research