Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Use of rhythm control therapy for atrial fibrillation among veterans in the Southeastern United States by rurality
- retrospective study
Authors' conclusion
No major clinical differences were revealed in the use of or time to rhythm control therapy based on rurality in the VA. However, low utilization rates and delays to therapy across the rural-urban spectrum warrant additional investigation to identify systemic drivers that may disproportionately affect the VA patient population.
Study context
- Population
- Veterans with atrial fibrillation (AF) and no preceding heart failure in the VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Networkveterans with AF and no preceding heart failure
- Participants
- 21,600 veterans
- Exposure
- use of or time to rhythm control therapy based on rurality
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Antiarrhythmic prescriptions
- No differences based on rurality
- P > 0.05
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Catheter ablation
- Catheter ablation — No differences based on rurality
- P > .05
Baseline characteristics
- mean age at AF diagnosis
- 72 years
- male
- 97.9%
- self-identified as white
- 79.8%
- lived in rural communities
- 24.9%
Time to catheter ablation
- median time
- 2.6 years
- low utilization rates and delays in time to rhythm control therapy across the rural-urban spectrum
Original publication
Use of rhythm control therapy for atrial fibrillation among veterans in the Southeastern United States by rurality. Heart Rhythm. Published 2 May 2026. doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2026.04.048
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it