title: Epidemiology of atrial fibrillation: a current perspective.
abstract: The prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) increases with age. Recent population-based data indicate a trend of increasing incidence and prevalence of AF that is incompletely explained by an aging population. A recent population study estimated that the number of Americans afflicted by AF will increase from the current 2.3 million to more than 10 million by 2050. Novel risk factors--obesity and sleep apnea--may partially account for the current AF epidemic. Ethnic differences in the epidemiology of AF have been suggested but not clearly elucidated by population-based studies. The heritability of AF in the general population is strongly supported by population-based data. Genetic epidemiological studies on AF can potentially yield important mechanistic insights that may ultimately lead to novel preventative and therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Diseases and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Lin Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Win-Kuang
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D000786:Anger; D000818:Animals; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D004813:Epidemiology / Q000639:trends; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006791:Hostility; D015994:Incidence; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology