Trend in the Prevalence of Atrial Fibrillation During the Past 15 Years in Iwate (Northeastern Area of Japan).

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The trend in age-specific prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in Japan has not been reported.Methods and Results:Age-specific prevalence (40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79 and 80-89 years old) of AF in Iwate Prefecture was determined in 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2012 (n=818,577). A positive linear trend in the prevalence of AF across calender years was observed only in males in their 60 s and 70 s. The direct age-standardized rate in males increased from 1.55% to 1.85%, while the rate in females remained around 0.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The age-specific prevalence of AF has increased only in elderly males.