Rising Burden of Cancer and Atrial Fibrillation-Related Mortality Among
Adults in the United States, 1999-2019
Abstract
Introduction: Cancer and atrial fibrillation (AF) are major
public health challenges in the United States, with significant
mortality risks and a bidirectional relationship that compounds their
burden. Despite substantial documentation of their independent mortality
trends, data on concomitant cancer- and AF-related mortality trends
remain limited. Methods and Results: We analyzed cancer- and
AF-related mortality in the U.S. from 1999 to 2019 using CDC WONDER
data, focusing on adults aged ≥25 years. Crude and age-adjusted
mortality rates (AAMRs) were calculated, and trends were evaluated using
Joinpoint regression. A total of 319,480 deaths were identified, with
the AAMR increasing from 4.95 in 1999 to 10.01 in 2019 (AAPC: 3.49%).
Males exhibited higher AAMRs than females, while Hispanics demonstrated
the greatest increase. Geographic disparities were evident, with the
highest AAMRs in Vermont, Minnesota, and Rhode Island and the lowest in
Arizona, Georgia, and New Mexico. Conclusion: Cancer- and
AF-related mortality has risen significantly over two decades, with
notable racial, sex-based, and geographic disparities. These findings
underscore the need for targeted interventions to address these
inequities and mitigate the growing burden of coexisting cancer and AF.