Atrial Fibrillation (Afib) Affects More Than You Realize

Human heart

And Why It’s Critical to Treat

Atrial fibrillation (Afib) is often misunderstood as a manageable nuisance—an irregular heartbeat that can be controlled with medication. But this perception dangerously underestimates the condition. 

Afib isn’t just a rhythm problem; it’s a progressive disease that can quietly erode a patient’s quality of life, drive up healthcare costs, and even shorten life expectancy1-2. With an estimated 12.1 million Americans projected to be living with Afib by 2030,3 the urgency to treat it effectively has never been higher.

Afib Affects Quality of Life—Mentally, Physically, and Emotionally

Afib doesn’t just affect the heart—it affects the whole person. Patients report up to a 47% reduction in quality of life,4,5 with significant declines in both general and mental health.6

The burden is relentless: frequent outpatient visits (averaging 10 per year), over 50 physician encounters annually,7 and constant anxiety about medications8 and follow-up appointments.9

As a result, the cycle of uncertainty and exhaustion leads to emotional burnout and a diminished sense of well-being. 

Afib Affects Healthcare Costs

The financial toll of Afib is staggering. Patients with Afib incur nearly $28,000 more in annual healthcare costs than those without it, with total yearly expenses averaging over $63,000.10

Emergency departments see more than half a million Afib-related visits each year,11 and nearly two-thirds of those patients are admitted to the hospital.12 In 2016 alone, Afib-related healthcare spending reached $28.4 billion—and projections show that number could climb to $45.4 billion by 2030.13

Afib Affects Survival - Even More Than Cancer

Here's a sobering truth: patients diagnosed with Afib have a lower five-year survival rate than those diagnosed with many of the most-feared cancers.14-15

However, unlike cancer, Afib is rarely treated with the same urgency. Patients are often told it's "manageable," when in reality, it's a progressive disease that worsens over time and contributes to other life-threatening conditions.16 While Afib itself may not be the direct cause of death, its impact on overall health can be devastating.17

Treating Afib: Why Early and Aggressive Intervention Matters

Historically, common Afib treatment focused on rate control—slowing the heart rate to reduce symptoms. But today, rhythm control is the priority.18-19 Antiarrhythmic medications are commonly used, but they only treat symptoms, not the disease itself. Without proper intervention, Afib continues to progress, increasing the risk of stroke, heart failure and death.20

Surgical and hybrid ablation therapies offer a more durable solution.21 For patients with advanced Afib who are not candidates for structural heart surgery, Hybrid AF™ Therapy—which combines endocardial and epicardial ablation—is the only option proven to restore sinus rhythm and improve outcomes.22

In fact, with appropriate intervention, patients’ survival rates can return to levels comparable to those who never had Afib.23

Why It Matters

Afib isn’t benign. And it’s not just a flutter. It’s a serious, progressive disease that demands serious treatment.24 Left unchecked, it chips away at quality of life, burdens the healthcare system, and shortens lives. But with early diagnosis and guideline-recommended intervention,25 patients can reclaim their rhythm, the things they love doing everyday—and their future.

References:

  1. Benjamin EJ, Muntner P, Alonso A, et al. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2019 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2019;139(10):e56-e528.
  2. Chugh SS, Havmoeller R, Narayanan K, et al. Worldwide epidemiology of atrial fibrillation: a Global Burden of Disease 2010 Study. Circulation. 2014;129(8):837-847.
  3. Colilla S, Crow A, Petkun W, Singer DE, Simon T, Liu X. Estimates of current and future incidence and prevalence of atrial fibrillation in the U.S. adult population. Am J Cardiol. 2013;112(8):1142-1147.
  4. Thrall G, Lane D, Carroll D, Lip GY. Quality of life in patients with atrial fibrillation: a systematic review. Am J Med. 2006;119(5):448.e1-19.
  5. Mark DB, Anstrom KJ, Sheng S, et al. Effect of Catheter Ablation vs Medical Therapy on Quality of Life Among Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: The CABANA Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2019;321(13):1275-1285.
  6. Forlani S, Moscarelli M, Scafuri A, et al. Quality of life in atrial fibrillation patients: a systematic review. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2020;27(5):486-498.
  7. Sullivan RM, Zhang J, Zamba G, Lip GY, Olshansky B. Relation of gender-specific risk of ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation to differences in warfarin anticoagulation control (from AFFIRM). Am J Cardiol. 2012;110(12):1799-1802.
  8. Wang KL, Giugliano RP, Hylek EM, et al. The association between the risk of stroke and the efficacy and safety of dabigatran compared with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation. J Am Heart Assoc. 2014;3(1):e000602.
  9. Altiok E, Siebermair J, Frick M, et al. Quality of life in patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure treated by catheter ablation. Clin Res Cardiol. 2019;108(8):935-945.
  10. Deshmukh A, Patel NJ, Pant S, et al. In-hospital complications associated with catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in the United States between 2000 and 2010: analysis of 93,801 procedures. Circulation. 2013;128(19):2104-2112.
  11. McDonald AJ, Pelletier AJ, Ellinor PT, Camargo CA Jr. Increasing US emergency department visit rates and subsequent hospital admissions for atrial fibrillation from 1993 to 2004. Ann Emerg Med. 2008;51(1):58-65.
  12. Rozen G, Hosseini SM, Kaadan MI, et al. Emergency Department Visits for Atrial Fibrillation in the United States: Trends in Admission Rates and Economic Burden From 2007 to 2014. J Am Heart Assoc. 2018;7(15):e009024.
  13. Kim MH, Johnston SS, Chu BC, Dalal MR, Schulman KL. Estimation of total incremental health care costs in patients with atrial fibrillation in the United States. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2011;4(3):313-320.
  14. Stewart S, Hart CL, Hole DJ, McMurray JJ. A population-based study of the long-term risks associated with atrial fibrillation: 20-year follow-up of the Renfrew/Paisley study. Am J Med. 2002;113(5):359-364.
  15. Benjamin EJ, Wolf PA, D'Agostino RB, Silbershatz H, Kannel WB, Levy D. Impact of atrial fibrillation on the risk of death: the Framingham Heart Study. Circulation. 1998;98(10):946-952.
  16. Nattel S, Burstein B, Dobrev D. Atrial remodeling and atrial fibrillation: mechanisms and implications. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2008;1(1):62-73.
  17. Fauchier L, Villejoubert O, Clementy N, et al. Causes of death and influencing factors in patients with atrial fibrillation. Am J Med. 2016;129(12):1278-1287.
  18. Kirchhof P, Camm AJ, Goette A, et al. Early Rhythm-Control Therapy in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2020;383(14):1305-1316.
  19. Wyse DG, Waldo AL, DiMarco JP, et al. A comparison of rate control and rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2002;347(23):1825-1833.
  20. Carlisle MA, Fudim M, DeVore AD, Piccini JP. Heart failure and atrial fibrillation, like fire and fury. JACC Heart Fail. 2019;7(6):447-456.
  21. Packer DL, Mark DB, Robb RA, et al. Effect of Catheter Ablation vs Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy on Mortality, Stroke, Bleeding, and Cardiac Arrest Among Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: The CABANA Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2019;321(13):1261-1274.
  22. Pison L, La Meir M, van Opstal J, et al. Hybrid thoracoscopic surgical and transvenous catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2012;60(1):54-61.
  23. Musharbash FN, Schill MR, Sinn LA, et al. Performance of the Cox-maze IV procedure is associated with improved long-term survival in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing cardiac surgery. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2018;155(1):159-170.
  24. Hindricks G, Potpara T, Dagres N, et al. 2020 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation developed in collaboration with the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS). Eur Heart J. 2021;42(5):373-498.
  25. January CT, Wann LS, Calkins H, et al. 2019 AHA/ACC/HRS Focused Update of the 2014 AHA/ACC/HRS Guideline for the Management of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. Circulation. 2019;140(2):e125-e151.
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