More Women Die From AF and Flutter Than Men
Women with atrial fibrillation and flutter (AFF) are more likely than men to die after a visit to the emergency department (ED), according to the results of a recent study.
The researchers used data obtained from administrative databases of EDs in Alberta, Canada, from 1999 to 2011 to identify men and women aged 35 years or older who presented with AFF. Multivariable models were used to assess the effects of sex on time to ED return for AFF, the first follow-up visit with a physician, the first follow-up visit with a specialist, and death.
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A total of 21,062 patients presented to the ED with AFF, 47.5% of whom were women. After discharge, approximately 10% returned to the ED with AFF. The time to ED return was similar for both sexes.
Women had shorter time to first physician visit and longer time to specialist follow-up compared with men. In addition, the researchers found that interactions between sex and age, socioeconomic groups, and comorbidities influenced the effect of sex on time to follow-up after AFF ED visit.
More women died than men at 30 days (1.3% vs 0.9% ) and 90 days (2.9% vs 2.4%).
“Time to death remained significant after adjustment for other demographic and health-related variables,” the researchers concluded. “Our findings have important potential implications for physicians in the emergency setting.”1
“Overall, emergency, family medicine and specialist clinician groups should be aware of these differences and do their best to ensure evidence-based management is provided to both men and women.”2
—Melissa Weiss
Reference:
1. Rosychuk RJ, Holroyd BR, Zhang X, Rowe BH, Graham MM. Sex differences in outcomes after discharge from the emergency department for atrial fibrillation/flutter [published online April 25, 2017]. Can J Cardiol. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cjca.2017.02.002.
2. More women with atrial fibrillation die after ER discharge than men [press release]. Edmonton, Canada: University of Alberta; April 26, 2017. https://www.ualberta.ca/news-and-events/newsarticles/2017/april/more-women-with-atrial-fibrillation-die-after-er-discharge-than-men.