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. 2012 Apr;109(16):293-9.
doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2012.0293. Epub 2012 Apr 20.

Atrial fibrillation: its prevalence and risk factor profile in the German general population

Renate B Schnabel  1 , Sandra Wilde, Philipp S Wild, Thomas Munzel, Stefan Blankenberg
Affiliations

Atrial fibrillation: its prevalence and risk factor profile in the German general population

Renate B Schnabel et al. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2012 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an increasingly common problem in primary care, but little is known about its prevalence and the distribution of AF risk factors in the general population.

Methods: We determined the prevalence of AF and the distribution of known AF risk factors among persons participating in the population-based Gutenberg Health Study. To this end, we used interview data about the medical diagnosis of AF and electrocardiograms (ECGs) that were performed for the study in 5000 persons aged 35 to 74. The response rate was 60.4%.

Results: There were 5000 persons in the study sample (age 52.2 ± 11 years; 50.6% were women). The prevalence of AF, weighted for the age and sex distribution of the general population, was 2.5%. AF was found to be more common in older persons, with a more pronounced increase in men: whereas its prevalence was 0.7% in 35- to 44-year-old men, the corresponding figure for the age group 65- to 74 was as high as 10.6%. Twenty five participants (15.5% of AF cases) received their initial diagnosis of AF on the basis of the study ECG. Compared to persons without AF, persons with AF were older and more commonly male, and they had a higher burden of cardiovascular risk factors. 14.3% of persons with AF had none of the well-established risk factors for AF (systolic blood pressure, antihypertensive medication, increased body-mass-index, heart failure). 42.7% of persons with AF were not taking either anticoagulants or platelet inhibitors.

Conclusion: These data indicate that the prevalence of AF in the middle-aged general population is 2.5% overall, and higher in the elderly. AF is thus a significant public health problem, and greater awareness of it is needed.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Prevalence of atrial fibrillation in Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) patients by age group and sex
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of risk factors according to the Framingham risk score (11) for atrial fibrillation in Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) participants with atrial fibrillation. The bars indicate percentages by sex. The median age of participants is stated above the bars. Prevalences are weighted for the population of Mainz and the region of Mainz-Bingen
Figure 3
Figure 3
Risk of stroke according to a) CHADS2 score (adjusted for aspirin intake); and b) CHA2DS2-VASc score (adjusted for warfarin intake) (12, 13) in Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) participants with atrial fibrillation. Prevalences are weighted for the population of Mainz and the region of Mainz-Bingen
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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