Decrease in mortality in patients with a hospital diagnosis of atrial fibrillation in Denmark during the period 1980-1993.
BACKGROUND
Atrial fibrillation is associated with increased mortality. We hypothesized that the death rate in atrial fibrillation patients in Denmark has diminished during the period 1980-1993.


METHODS
In a random sample of half of the Danish population, 30 330 patients were found to have a diagnosis of incident atrial fibrillation in the Danish National Hospital Discharge Register 1980-1993. Information on previous and concomitant cardiovascular and metabolic diseases during the period 1977-1993 was sought in the register. The temporal trend in total and cardiovascular mortality in the cohort of atrial fibrillation patients was analysed.


RESULTS
A significant decrease in total and cardiovascular mortality was seen, 12-13% for total mortality and 17-18% for cardiovascular mortality. By adjusting for the decreasing cardiovascular mortality rate in the general population, a decrease in the relative risk of total mortality of 8-13% with time was seen for the atrial fibrillation cohort, compared with the population risk, while no reduction in the relative risk of cardiovascular death was seen.


CONCLUSIONS
A significant decrease in mortality with calendar period occurred in the cohort of atrial fibrillation patients.
Frost
L
L
Amtssygehuset, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
Engholm
G
G
Møller
H
H
Husted
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors