National AFib Awareness Month

Join the American Heart Association in September to help reduce the impacts of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) through education & improvements in patient care. 
AFib Quality Improvement Resources
Physician gestures to a plastic model of a heart

Reducing The Impact of AFib Together

Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) numbers are rising in the U.S. For healthcare professionals, this signals a potential increase in the number of stroke and heart failure patients. By providing education and resources for professionals and patients, we're committed to generating awareness and improving patient care to save lives. 

The Importance of Improved Care

Without treatment, Atrial Fibrillation can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related complications. Compared to people without, AFib patients experience:

  • 5x increased risk of stroke
  • 3x increased risk of heart failure
  • 2x increased risk of dementia 
Why AFib Treatment Matters

Growing Numbers

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, AFib numbers in the US were on the rise. In 2001, experts predicted the number of Americans living with AFib would double by 2050. Today, those numbers are further exacerbated by the impacts of the virus. Research suggests AFib is likely to influence more Americans, and could put more people at greater risk of stroke and heart failure than previously expected. 

New Onset AFib in COVID 19 Patients

AFib Awareness Toolkit

Download these tools and resources to leverage during your hospital's AFib Awareness Month.

Included are tools to augment patient education, staff activities, and public awareness. By leveraging these resources, you're helping to improve AFib education and awareness in your professioinal and public communities. 
Download Toolkit

Free Webinar

Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation 101
Monday September 23, 2024 | 11:00 AM - 12PM CST 

Join us for an informative webinar featuring Dr. Jonathan P. Piccini as he addresses the basics of ablation therapy for atrial fibrillation as well as the indications for ablation in accordance with the new AFib guidelines.

Participants will gain an understanding of the indications and processes for ablation therapy for atrial fibrillation and the science behind ablation, exploring the mechanisms driving its efficacy.

 
Register Now

Articles of Interest

Take a deep dive into the current state of Atrial Fibrillation with these three articles. 

Atrial Fibrillation Occurring During Acute Hospitalization

Acute management requires a multipronged approach with interdisciplinary care collaboration, tailoring treatments to the patient’s underlying substrate and acute condition
Download Article [PDF]

Racial/Ethnic & Sex Differences in Safety Outcomes & AFib-related  Acute Healthcare Utilization After Catheter Ablation

Differences in safety and healthcare utilization after catheter ablation for AF were observed by race/ethnicity and sex groups. Underrepresented racial and ethnic groups with AF had a lower risk of AF/AFL-related acute healthcare utilization post-ablation.

Download Article [PDF]

Heart Disease & Stroke Statistics - 2024

This Statistical Update presents the latest data on a range of major clinical heart and circulatory disease conditions and the associated outcomes. 

Download Article [PDF]

Plug In With Podcasts

Focused on AFib education, this series of Atrial Fibrillation podcasts provides insight into common treatment barriers, model sharing, and more. 

Learn the importance of creating administrative buy-in, setting up an AFib clinic, and creating a multidisciplinary team to better treat patients and improve outcomes. 
Listen and Learn
Doctor speaking into a podcasting mic

Three Things You Can Do Today

Better awareness, education and patient care begins with you. If you or your hospital is interested in improving patient care for AFib patients, here are a few quick ideas to get the ball rolling now. 

Consult the Data

Inquire with your quality improvement leaders, or dig into existing registries. Is your hospital seeing significant numbers of stroke and heart failure patients with AFib? 


Talk to Your Cardiology Team

Three questions to ask:

  1. What is the AFib patient throughput?
  2. What AFib-specific protocols are used hospital-wide?
  3. Are patients receiving guideline directed therapy at discharge? 

Raise Awareness

Share the materials and information found on this page. Consider emailing AFib Month information to internal stakeholders.

Distribute AFib-related education on your social media. Leading the conversation  increases public education and improves understanding. 

Get With The Guidelines® - AFib

Designed to assist hospital care teams in consistently providing the latest evidence-based treatment for their AFib patients. The program also offers a means of monitoring the quality of AFib care in U.S. hospitals to build a database for continued research and further quality improvement.
Learn More