The prevalence of atrial fibrillation in Greenland: a register-based cross-sectional study based on disease classifications and prescriptions of oral anticoagulants

ABSTRACT

   

Previous studies of the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in Greenland are based on either single-point electrocardiograms (ECGs) or patients admitted with stroke. This study estimates the prevalence of AF based on disease classifications in the electronic medical record system (EMR) and prescriptions of oral anticoagulants (OACs). Patients given a diagnose classification code for AF or atrial flutter or prescribed the vitamin K antagonist Warfarin or the direct-acting oral anticoagulant Rivaroxaban were identified in the EMR. Descriptive data and selected laboratory values were extracted, and a minimum CHA₂DS₂-VASc score was calculated for the 790 patients identified in the EMR (66% men). A total prevalence of AF of 1.4% was found in the general population (1.8% among men and 1.0% among women), with a significantly lower prevalence among women younger than 70 years. There was a significant increase in AF-prevalence with advancing age (p<0.001) for both men and women. A minimum CHA₂DS₂-VASc was estimated and app. 10% of the patients may be undertreated with OACs. The prevalence of AF found in this study is higher than that found in previous studies in Greenland and comparable to the prevalence found in other Western countries, indicating that AF is common in Greenland.

KEYWORDS:

• Greenland
• Arctic
• Inuit
• atrial fibrillation
• atrial flutter
• stroke

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The project was supported by Karen Elise Jensen’s Foundation and the Novo Nordisk Foundation under grant NNF20SA0064190.