Atrial fibrillation--changes 2000 to 2009.

From April 2000 to March 2001 in BEACH (Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health), atrial fibrillation (AF) was managed at a rate of 0.6 per 100 encounters, suggesting it was managed by general practitioners about 578 000 times per year nationally. From April 2008 to March 2009, AF was managed at more than double the earlier rate, 1.3 per 100 encounters, suggesting it was now managed by GPs about 1.5 million times per year nationally.