[Patients admitted with atrial fibrillation to a regional hospital].

INTRODUCTION

It is well known that the incidence of atrial fibrillation increased with age over 65 years. However the role and incidence of atrial fibrillation in the admission in the regional hospital was not investigated. The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence, the commonest presenting features, associated cardiac conditions and the different types of atrial fibrillation which were admitted to our regional hospital during the last 10 month.

RESULTS

The incidence of atrial fibrillation was 13% (mean age: 71 years). The presenting features were dyspnea (28%), palpitation (25%), heart failure (19%), angina (10%), syncope/vertigo (5%), symptoms-free (13%). The most frequently associated cardiac condition was hypertension (64%). The patients were treated with the following antiarrhythmic drugs: beta-adrenergic blocker: 25%, propafenon (15%), propafenon and beta-adrenergic blocker (25%), sotalol (17%), amiodarone (13%), others (5%).

CONCLUSION

Nowadays atrial fibrillation is still a remarkable percentage of hospital admission. The most frequent clinical features were not the signs of arrhythmia but the signs of heart failure and ischaemic heart disease. In the treatment of atrial fibrillation the use of digoxin and class IA type antiarrhythmic agents were remarkably decreased and the use of class III, IC and beta-adrenergic blockers increased.