African Americans Have Significantly Lower Prevalence of Atrial Fibrillation Despite Higher Prevalence of Risk Factors
New study presented at Heart Rhythm 2009 confirms racial epidemiology of atrial fibrillation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ann-Marie White
Heart Rhythm Society
(202) 464-3476
awhite@hrsonline.org

Lucy McDonald: (202) 306-3456
Heart Rhythm 2009 Press Room: (617) 954-3399 (number effective May 13-16, 2009)

BOSTON, May 13, 2009 — Despite a higher prevalence of risk factors for atrial fibrillation (AF), African Americans have a markedly lower prevalence of AF compared to Caucasians. The new study presented at Heart Rhythm 2009, the Heart Rhythm Society’s 30th Annual Scientific Sessions, is the largest of its kind to prove that race has a direct impact on the occurrence of AF, most notably when comparing African Americans to Caucasians.

More than two million people in the United States have AF making it one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias in the country. There are several known risk factors associated with AF, including male gender, advanced age, hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, the understanding of how race affects an individual’s likelihood to develop AF is not well documented or explained.

Led by Kan Fang, MD, the study examined adult patients with at least two clinical encounters at Henry Ford Health System during 2007. A total of 196,104 patients were identified for the study, 110,333 Caucasians and 65,657 African Americans and 20,114 patients in which race was undefined. Overall, African Americans had a lower prevalence of AF than Caucasians.

African American patients within the study had a higher prevalence of risk factors associated with AF compared to the Caucasian patients, specifically hypertension (42 percent vs. 29 percent) and diabetes (17 percent vs. 12 percent). Despite the significantly higher presence of risk factors in African American patients, they have a 50 percent lower prevalence of AF compared to Caucasian patients, 1.2 percent vs. 2.5 percent, respectively.

“Our results confirm what previous, smaller studies have suggested about African Americans and a lower prevalence of AF,” stated Dr. Fang. “What is truly fascinating about our findings is that African Americans can have significant risk factors for AF, even higher than those of Caucasian patients, yet have a lower occurrence.”

Session details:
“African Americans Have Markedly Lower Prevalence of Atrial Fibrillation Despite Higher Prevalence of Risk Factors” [May 13, 2009, 5:45 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Westin Grand Ballroom]

About Heart Rhythm 2009
Heart Rhythm 2009 takes place May 13-16 at the Boston Exhibition and Convention Center. The meeting is the most comprehensive educational event on heart rhythm disorders, offering approximately 250 educational opportunities in multiple formats. The world’s most renowned scientists and physicians will present a wide range of heart rhythm topics including cardiac resynchronization therapy, catheter ablation, cardiac pacing and heart failure as well as the latest technology, including state-of-the-art pacemakers and defibrillators.