Quality of life in older people with atrial fibrillation.
This review summarises the literature on quality of life in patients with atrial fibrillation. Since atrial fibrillation is predominantly a disease of maturity, the majority of studies examining quality of life in this patient population have been conducted in older adults people (aged >or=65 years). Almost all studies have demonstrated poorer quality of life among patients with atrial fibrillation compared to age-matched general populations. Rate-control and rhythm-control strategies in highly symptomatic patients have revealed significant improvements in quality of life following the interventions, presumably as a result of the immediate relief of symptoms. Further, randomised controlled trials of rate- versus rhythm-control strategies have shown that some aspects of quality of life improve significantly following either intervention and that neither rate nor rhythm-control is superior in increasing quality of life. Control of the heart rate, rather than restoring sinus rhythm, appears to be associated with better quality of life in more domains.
Lane
Deirdre A
DA
University Department of Medicine, City Hospital, Birmingham, B18 7QH, England, UK.
Lip
Gregory Y H
GY
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome