Decrease in mortality in patients with a hospital diagnosis of atrial fibrillation in Denmark during the period 1980-1993

Background Atrial fibrillation is associated with increased mortality. We h ypothesized that the death rate in atrial fibrillation patients in Denmark has diminished during the period 1980-1993. Methods In a random sample of half of the Danish population, 30 330 patient s were found to have a diagnosis of incident atrial fibrillation in the Dan ish National Hospital Discharge Register 1980-1993. Information on previous and concomitant cardiovascular and metabolic diseases during the period 19 77-1993 was sought in the register. The temporal trend in total and cardiov ascular mortality in the cohort of atrial fibrillation patients was analyse d. Results A significant decrease in total and cardiovascular mortality was se en, 12-13% for total mortality and 17-18% for cardiovascular mortality. By adjusting for the decreasing cardiovascular mortality rate in the general p opulation, a decrease in the relative risk of total mortality of 8-13% with time was seen for the atrial fibrillation cohort, compared with the popula tion risk, while no reduction in the relative risk of cardiovascular death was seen. Conclusion A significant decrease in mortality with calendar period occurre d in the cohort of atrial fibrillation patients. (C) 1999 The European Soci ety of Cardiology.