The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7216 p384
21 September 2002

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European Society of Cardiology (www.escardio.org)

AF more common in winter

Atrial fibrillation (AF) among the elderly is more common in winter than in summer, researchers have found. They identified over 58,000 people in Scotland admitted to hospital for AF between 1990 and 96 and found 800 more admissions and 1,200 more deaths occurred in December than in July. They say increased alcohol consumption, cold temperatures and respiratory infections could have contributed to the increase. They conclude high-risk patients should be warned of the dangers of inadequate heating and clothing, the need to limit alcohol intake and to have influenza vaccinations. The study was presented at the European Society of Cardiology annual congress in Berlin earlier this month.