The burden of atrial fibrillation and heart failure in hospitalized patients. A real-world survey in a nationwide snapshot.

PURPOSE: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) are common and commonly coexisting cardiovascular diseases in hospitalized patients. We report the absolute number and interrelation between AF and HF, assess the daily burden of both diseases on health-care system and report the medical treatment in a real world, nationwide conducted snapshot survey.

METHODS: A questionnaire was equally distributed to various health care institutions. Baseline characteristics, prior hospitalizations and medical treatment of all hospitalized patients with AF and HF at a predefined date were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS: Seventy-five cardiological departments participated in this multicenter Greek nationwide study. Six hundred three (n: 603) patients (mean age 74.5±11.4 years), with AF, HF, or combination of both were nationwide admitted. AF was registered in 122 (20.2%), HF in 196 (32.5%) and combination of both in 285 (47.3%). First time hospital admission was recorded in 273/597 (45.7%) of the patients, whereas 324/597 (54.3%) had readmissions in the past 12 months. Of the entire population, 453 (75.1%) were on b-blockers (BBs) and 430 (71.3%) were on loop diuretics. Furthermore, 315 of patients with AF (77.4%) were on oral anticoagulation, of which 191 (46.9%) were on a direct oral anticoagulant and 124 (30.5%) on a vitamin-K antagonist.

CONCLUSION: Hospitalized patients with AF and/or HF have more than one admission within a year. Coexistence of AF and HF is more common. BBs and loop diuretics are the most commonly used drugs. More than three quarters of the patients with AF were on oral anticoagulation.