The AF Epidemic
AF has emerged as a major public health problem and global epidemic.15,16 Not only is it the most common arrythmia but it is also responsible for more morbidity than any other rhythm disorder.17,18 Data from the Framingham Heart Study revealed a lifetime risk of approximately 1 in 4 for men and women of age 40 years or older.19 This signifies a substantial burden on healthcare costs with approximately 350,000 hospitalizations, 5 million office visits, 276,000 emergency visits and 234,000 outpatient visits attributable to AF annually within the United States translating to an estimated cost of treatment at 6.65 billion dollars.18 The prevalence is further estimated to increase 2.5 to 3-fold which projects to 5.6 million affected Americans 2050.20 Additionally, global AF burden is not well known and is most likely underestimated in many regions outside of North America and Europe.21
AF is vastly heterogenous with a myriad of causes, presentations and complications. There is a need to improve contemporary practices as the prevention and treatment outcomes in AF are sub-optimal.22 AF is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality, hemorrhage, left ventricular dysfunction and thromboembolism.23,24 A global collaborative effort to deal with the growing concern of AF is underway especially in the past 2 decades in areas of basic sciences, epidemiology, genetics along with clinical studies and now with the use of AI.