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Incidents of atrial fibrillation have increased 295% in the past two decades, surpassing heart attack and heart failure as the major causes of cardiovascular hospitalisation.

This discovery came from analysis of data collected between 1993 and 2013聽by the . The analysis was designed to establish聽common cardiovascular condition聽incidents聽and trends during this period.

Published recently in the journal聽, lead researcher Celine Gallagher found atrial fibrillation had the highest incidence of principal diagnosis in 2013 ahead of heart attack and heart failure, but that back in 1993聽the most common causes of cardiovascular hospitalisation had been heart failure, followed by heart attack and atrial fibrillation.

鈥淲hat our study showed is that over that time period hospitalisations for AF (atrial fibrillation) increased by 295%,鈥� Gallagher said.

鈥淭hat was compared to 73% for heart attack and 39% for heart failure.鈥�

AF is an irregular, rapid heart rate that can cause heart palpitations, fatigue, shortness of breath and death.

Researchers from the University of Adelaide Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders found that the rate per annum of atrial fibrillation hospitalisations began at about 15,000 in 1993 and grew at an annual rate of almost 4% to reach 61,000 in 2013.

Gallagher, a PhD candidate, said the escalating figures revealed a new healthcare epidemic.

鈥淚t鈥檚 much more common to hear about heart failure or to hear about heart attacks, but in fact atrial fibrillation is really our new epidemic,鈥� she said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not showing any sign of slowing down or going away.鈥�

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