Carlos A Morillo, Amitava Banerjee, Pablo Perel, David Wood, Xavier Jouven. Atrial fibrillation: the current epidemic. J Geriatr Cardiol 2017; 14(3): 195-203. doi: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.03.011
Citation:
Carlos A Morillo, Amitava Banerjee, Pablo Perel, David Wood, Xavier Jouven. Atrial fibrillation: the current epidemic. J Geriatr Cardiol 2017; 14(3): 195-203. doi: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.03.011
Carlos A Morillo, Amitava Banerjee, Pablo Perel, David Wood, Xavier Jouven. Atrial fibrillation: the current epidemic. J Geriatr Cardiol 2017; 14(3): 195-203. doi: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.03.011
Citation:
Carlos A Morillo, Amitava Banerjee, Pablo Perel, David Wood, Xavier Jouven. Atrial fibrillation: the current epidemic. J Geriatr Cardiol 2017; 14(3): 195-203. doi: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.03.011
Department of Cardiac Sciences, Division of Cardiology, Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada;Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Farr Institute of Health Informatics Research, University College of London, London, UK
Centre for Global NCDs, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK; World Heart Federation, Geneva, Switzerland
World Heart Federation, Geneva, Switzerland; International Centre for Circulatory Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
Department of Cardiology, European Georges-Pompidou Hospital, Paris, France; 8Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, Paris Descartes University, Inserm U970 (PARCC), Paris, France
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia diagnosed in clinical practice. The consequences of AF have been clearly established in multiple large observational cohort studies and include increased stroke and systemic embolism rates if no oral anticoagulation is prescribed, with increased morbidity and mortality. With the worldwide aging of the population characterized by a large influx of “baby boomers” with or without risk factors for developing AF, an epidemic is forecasted within the next 10 to 20 years. Although not all studies support this evidence, it is clear that AF is on the rise and a significant amount of health resources are invested in detecting and managing AF. This review focuses on the worldwide burden of AF and reviews global health strategies focused on improving detection, prevention and risk stratification of AF, recently recommended by the World Heart Federation.