Turk Kardiyol Dern Ars. 2013; 41(2): 99-104 | DOI: 10.5543/tkda.2013.18488
Epidemiology of atrial fibrillation in Turkey: preliminary results of the multicenter AFTER study
Faruk Ertaş1, Hasan Kaya1, Zekeriya Kaya2, Serkan Bulur3, Nuri Köse4, Mehmet Gül5, Nihan Kahya Eren6, Çağlar Emre Çağlıyan7, Bayram Köroğlu8, Bülent Vatan9, Göksel Acar10, Murat Yüksel11, Mehmet Zihni Bilik1, Selçuk Gedik12, Ziya Şimşek131Department Of Cardiology, Dicle University, Diyarbakır, Turkey
2Department of Cardiology, Harran University Faculty of Medicine, Şanlıurfa, Turkey
3Department of Cardiology,Duzce University Faculty of Medicine, Düzce, Turkey
4Department of Cardiology, Mugla Yücelen Hospital, Muğla, Turkey
5Department of Cardiology, Mehmet Akif Ersoy Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
6Department of Cardiology, Izmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey
7Department of Cardiology, Numune Training and Research Hospital, Adana, Turkey
8Department of Cardiology, Dr. Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
9Department of Cardiology, Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya, Turkey
10Department of Cardiology, Kartal Koşuyolu Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey
11Department of Cardiology, Malatya State Hospital, Malatya, Turkey
12Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
13Department of Cardiology, Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey
OBJECTIVES Although atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common rhythm disorders observed in clinical practice, a multicenter epidemiological study has not been conducted in our country. This study aimed to assess our clinical approach to AF based upon the records of the first multicenter prospective Atrial Fibrillation in Turkey: Epidemiologic Registry (AFTER) study.
STUDY DESIGN Taking into consideration the distribution of the population in our country, 2242 consecutive patients with at least one AF attack determined by electrocardiographic examination in 17 different tertiary health care centers were included in the study. Inpatients and patients that were admitted to emergency departments were excluded from the study. Epidemiological data of the patients and the treatment administered were assessed.
RESULTS The mean age of the patients was determined as 66.8±12.3 years with female patients representing 60% of the study population. While the most common AF type in the Turkish population was non-valvular AF (78%), persistent/permanent AF was determined in 81% of all patients. Hypertension (%67) was the most common comorbidity in patients with AF. While a stroke or transient ischemic attack or history of systemic thromboembolism was detected in 15.3% of the patients, bleeding history was recorded in 11.2%. Also, 50% of the patients were on warfarin treatment and 53% were on aspirin treatment at the time of the study. The effective INR level was detected in 41.3% of the patients. The most frequent cause of not receiving anticoagulant therapy was physician neglect.
CONCLUSION These results demonstrate the necessity for improved quality of physician care of patients with AF, especially with regards to antithrombotic therapy.
Keywords: Atrial fibrillation/epidemiology/etiology, chronic disease, female; hypertension/complications; Turkey/epidemiology.
How to cite this article
Faruk Ertaş, Hasan Kaya, Zekeriya Kaya, Serkan Bulur, Nuri Köse, Mehmet Gül, Nihan Kahya Eren, Çağlar Emre Çağlıyan, Bayram Köroğlu, Bülent Vatan, Göksel Acar, Murat Yüksel, Mehmet Zihni Bilik, Selçuk Gedik, Ziya Şimşek. Epidemiology of atrial fibrillation in Turkey: preliminary results of the multicenter AFTER study. Turk Kardiyol Dern Ars. 2013; 41(2): 99-104
Corresponding Author: Faruk Ertaş, Türkiye
Manuscript Language: English