[The prevalence of atrial fibrillation in Hungary]. / A pitvarfibrilláció prevalenciája Magyarországon.

UNLABELLED: To estimate the prevalence and incidence of atrial fibrillation in the entire population of Hungary. METHODS: Analysis of the National Health Insurance Fund Administration database between 2007 and 2009 considering data from 2002. We assumed that patients with atrial fibrillation would turn to health care providers at least once either as outpatients or inpatients in a 5-year period. The National Health Insurance Patient Registry was used to assess the true number of patient visits. RESULTS: The prevalence of atrial fibrillation in Hungary is between 2.37-2.67%. Each year, only about half of these patients seek medical advice. CONCLUSIONS: Our survey seems to be the first epidemiological study that aims at estimating the prevalence of atrial fibrillation in the total population of our country. Using a time frame of five to seven years, the prevalence of atrial fibrillation in the total population is significantly higher than it was estimated earlier. However, by using a mathematical model, an even higher prevalence rate of atrial fibrillation (2.95%) was calculated for the total population of Hungary.