Systematic Review of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: Prevalence, Incidence, Morbidity and Mortality

Systematic Review of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: Prevalence, Incidence, Morbidity and Mortality

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice and has significant burden on the health care system as well as financial and social implications. The prevalence of AF increases with age. Epidemiologic studies have shown that the prevalence of AF is 0.5% below 50 years and increases steadily to around 8% in people in their 80’s. As a result of major advances in medicine during the last century, the overall life expectancy has increased and the subsequent prevalence of AF in the aging population has increased significantly, a situation appropriately described as an epidemic of the end of twentieth century, a situation which persists until the present time.