ABSTRACT
EPIDEMIOLOGY Atrial flutter is a common tachyarrhythmia, occurring in approximately 10% of patients presenting with supraventricular tachycardia. A population-based study found that it coexists in approximately 50% of patients who have atrial fibrillation.The estimated incidence of atrial flutter in the United States is 200,000 cases per year. Advanced age is an independent risk factor. The incidence of atrial flutter is 5 per 100,000 in persons younger than 50 years, and increases to 587 per 100,000 in persons older than 80 years. Men are more
prone to atrial flutter; it is 2.5 times more common in men than women. In addition to advanced age and male sex, other factors predispose to atrial flutter (Table 1). Mortality is 1.7 times greater among patients with atrial flutter than in those without it after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors.Overall mortality is similar
Yong-Mei Cha, MD
among patients with atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter or both arrhythmias.
