Doctors & patients are saying about 'A-Fib.com'...
"A-Fib.com is a great web site for patients, that is unequaled by anything else out there."
Dr. Douglas L. Packer, MD, FHRS, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
"Jill and I put you and your work in our prayers every night. What you do to help people through this [A-Fib] process is really incredible."
Jill and Steve Douglas, East Troy, WI
“I really appreciate all the information on your website as it allows me to be a better informed patient and to know what questions to ask my EP.
Faye Spencer, Boise, ID, April 2017
“I think your site has helped a lot of patients.”Dr. Hugh G. Calkins, MD Johns Hopkins,
Baltimore, MD
Atrial Fibrillation Hospitalizations: Urban-Rural Differences in Mortality Rates
A new study suggests U.S. patients hospitalized for atrial fibrillation in rural areas may be more likely to die than those hospitalized in urban areas.
Researchers examined nationwide information on 248,731 adults hospitalized for atrial fibrillation between 2012 and 2014. Mean age was 69 years; 78% white; 48% women. Of these, 218,946 (88%) were from urban hospitals and 29,785 (12%) were from rural hospitals.
Study Results: Urban vs. Rural
Patients admitted to rural hospitals had a 17% increased risk of death as compared with those admitted to urban hospitals. (Around 1.3 percent of atrial fibrillation patients died in rural hospitals, compared and 1 percent in urban facilities.) The study accounted for differences in patient characteristics including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart failure and kidney damage.
According to lead study author Dr. Wesley O’Neal of Emory University School of Medicine: “Presumably, a higher risk of death in patients from rural regions was related to differences in practice patterns and access to specialists.”
From a related editorial: “There is also some limited data suggesting that several atrial fibrillation outcomes, for example appropriate anticoagulation usage and appropriate referral for advanced procedural options such as ablation, are lower in rural than urban settings,” wrote Dr. Thomas Deering of Piedmont Heart Institute in Atlanta.
This study examination wasn’t a controlled experiment. Further research is needed to understand these findings.
What This Means to A-Fib Patients
Atrial Fibrillation is not a one-size fits all type of disease. Don’t choose your Atrial Fibrillation healthcare provider just because their office is nearby with local hospital privileges.
When seeking treatment for your Atrial Fibrillation, your first step is to see a heart rhythm specialist (a cardiac electrophysiologist) who specializes in the electrical function of the heart (and the best you can afford). You may need to travel, but it may be worth it to you for your peace of mind.
For more see Finding the Right Doctor for You and Your A-Fib and the A-Fib.com Directory of Doctors Treating A-Fib: Medical Centers and Practices.
