Trends of Hospitalization for Atrial Fibrillation in the United States, 2000 Through 2010: Implications for Healthcare Planning
Atrial Fibrillation Monday, June 9th, 2014CIRCULATIONAHA: May 19, 2014
Background—Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia. The associated morbidity and mortality makes AF a major public health burden. Hospitalizations account for the majority of the economic cost burden associated with AF. The main objective of this study is to examine trends of AF related hospitalizations in the US and to compare patient characteristics, outcomes, and comorbid diagnoses.
Methods and Results—With the use of Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2000 through 2010, AF related hospitalizations were identified using International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), code 427.31 as the principal discharge diagnosis. Overall AF hospitalizations increased by 23% from 2000-2010, particularly in patients 65 years or older. The most frequent coexisting conditions were hypertension (60.0%), diabetes (21.5%) and chronic pulmonary disease (20.0%). Read More
