Trends in Cardiomyopathy and Atrial Fibrillation-Related Mortality Among US Adults,1999–2024

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a highly prevalent comorbidity in patients with cardiomyopathy (CM), associated with worse cardiovascular outcomes. This study aims to provide a comprehensive, national-level analysis of AF and CM-related mortality in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database was utilized, using death certificates from 1999 to 2024. The study included patients aged ≥15 years with CM and AF. Statistical analyses were conducted to calculate age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 individuals and annual percent changes with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Between 1999 and 2024, CM with concomitant AF accounted for 134,470 deaths among individuals aged 15 years or older. The overall AAMR rose from 1.5 per 100,000 in 1999 to 2.3 in 2024. From 1999 to 2016, the AAMR rose modestly (1.5–1.8), followed by a pronounced rise from 2016 to 2022 (1.8–2.5), and a relative decline by 2024 (2.5–2.3). Compared with 2019, mortality in 2020 demonstrated a 15% relative increase (incidence rate ratio = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.11–1.19). Males had disproportionately higher AAMRs compared to females. By race, the highest AAMRs were observed in non-Hispanic (NH) Black and White populations (1.8 each). Regionally, the West and Midwest exhibited the highest AAMRs (1.9 each). Urban–rural stratification revealed higher AAMRs among rural areas (2.2) when compared with urban (1.8) areas. Targeted public-health interventions and resource allocation to address this growing cardiovascular mortality burden, particularly in high-risk demographic groups, are needed.