HRX 2024 AbstracX Library-Prevalence, Burden, and Manifestations of Atrial Fibrillation

Prevalence, Burden, and Manifestations of Atrial Fibrillation

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The large-scale study led by Dr. Christopher Cheung from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre at the University of Toronto investigates the prevalence, burden, and manifestations of Atrial Fibrillation (AF) using cardiac patch monitors. Analyzing data from 130,042 individuals between May 2017 and July 2023, the study aimed to explore symptom presentations and arrhythmia characteristics across differing AF burden levels.<br /><br />The participants were categorized into four groups based on their AF burden: No AF (0%), Low-burden AF (≤10%), Moderate-burden AF (>10% and <100%), and High-burden AF (100%). The demographic analysis revealed that age and gender significantly varied between groups, with high-burden patients typically older and more frequently male.<br /><br />Key findings include a U-shaped distribution for AF burden, with most patients displaying either a low or high AF burden. Interestingly, high-burden AF patients reported fewer symptoms such as dizziness and palpitations compared to those with low-burden AF. This counters the common expectation that greater AF burden correlates with more symptoms. Additionally, low-burden AF patients experience more frequent AF episodes with higher heart rates compared to moderate and high-burden patients. Specific heart rate measures differed significantly across AF burden categories—patients with high-burden AF showing a lower mean and maximum heart rate during episodes.<br /><br />The findings highlight the varied symptom manifestation and potential monitoring considerations for AF patients based on their burden level. This research helps understand AF's clinical presentation better and potentially guides tailored medical interventions based on individual burden profiles, providing insights for improved patient management strategies.

Keywords

Atrial Fibrillation

AF burden

cardiac patch monitors

heart rate

symptom manifestation

patient management

demographic analysis

arrhythmia characteristics

clinical presentation

medical interventions