Healthcare utilization and costs associated with a diagnosis of incident atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm disorder among adults and leads to substantial morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to provide current estimates on the incremental healthcare utilization and cost burden associated with incident AF diagnosis in the United States. METHODS: Adults with an incident diagnosis of AF (2017–2020) were identified using the Optum Clinformatics database. Propensity matching was employed to match patients with incident AF to a comparator group of non-AF patients on several demographic and clinical characteristics. Outcomes including 12-month all-cause and cardiovascular (CV)-related healthcare utilization, as well as the medical cost associated with health services use, were assessed. Logistic and general linear models were used to examine study outcomes. Sub-analyses were performed to determine the incremental AF burden by specific sex and racial/ethnic categories. RESULTS: A total of 79,621 patients were identified in each cohort (AF and non-AF). As compared to the non-AF cohort, patients with AF had significantly higher all-cause inpatient visits (relative risk [RR] 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.76–1.78), CV-related inpatient visits (RR 2.51; 95% CI 2:49–2:53), and CV-related emergency room visits (RR: 2.41; 95% CI 2:35–2:47). The mean total healthcare cost for patients with AF was $27,896 more (per patient per year) than the non-AF cohort ($63,031 vs $35,135, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Medical services utilization and cost were significantly higher among AF patients than non-AF patients. Early treatment is likely to be critical to addressing the considerable disease burden imposed by AF.