Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, with rising prevalence and shifting mortality trends in the U.S. This change mirrors broader shifts in cardiovascular health over recent decades. Research Question: How have AF mortality patterns evolved over the past 50+ years in the U.S.? Aims: To examine variations in AF mortality by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and geographic region. Methods: Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 for adults (25+) were extracted from CDC WONDER using ICD-8, ICD-9, and ICD-10 codes for AF. Joinpoint regression assessed the Annual Percent Change (APC) and Average APC (AAPC) with significance at p < 0.01. Results: From 1968 to 2023, AF was responsible for 543,669 deaths. The overall AAMR rose from 1.26 in 1968 to 10.61 in 2023, peaking at 11.0 in 2021 (AAPC: 4.1%, p < 0.01). The sharpest rise occurred between 1982–1999 (APC: 7.6%, p < 0.01). Women had slightly higher AAMRs than men (4.62 vs. 4.59), with a steeper increase over time (AAPC: 4.1% vs. 4.08%, both significant). Racially, Whites had higher AAMRs than Blacks (4.9 vs. 3.2) and a steeper rise (AAPC: 4.2% vs. 3.1%). Elderly adults (42.7) had the highest AAMRs, with the steepest rise (AAPC: 4.5%, p < 0.01). The Midwest had the highest AAMR (5.0), while the Western region showed the steepest increase (AAPC: 4.2%, p < 0.01). States with the highest mortality rates included Oregon, Idaho and Wyoming, while New York, Florida, and New Mexico had the lowest. Conclusion: AF mortality rates have risen sharply over the past five decades, highlighting the increasing burden of AF and emphasizing the need for targeted public health strategies and interventions, particularly for high-risk populations.
Ahmad et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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