National AFib Awareness Month

Join the American Heart Association in September to help reduce the impacts of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) through education & improvements in patient care. 
AFib Awareness Toolkit AFib Quality Improvement
Physician gestures to a plastic model of a heart

Reducing The Impact of AFib Together

Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) numbers are rising in the U.S. For healthcare professionals, this signals a potential increase in the number of stroke and heart failure patients. By providing education and resources for professionals and patients, we're committed to generating awareness and improving patient care to save lives. 

The Importance of Improved Care

Without treatment, Atrial Fibrillation can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related complications. Compared to people without, AFib patients experience:

  • 5x increased risk of stroke
  • 3x increased risk of heart failure
  • 2x increased risk of dementia 
Why AFib Treatment Matters

Growing Numbers

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, AFib numbers in the US were on the rise. In 2001, experts predicted the number of Americans living with AFib would double by 2050. Today, those numbers are further exacerbated by the impacts of the virus. Research suggests AFib is likely to influence more Americans, and could put more people at greater risk of stroke and heart failure than previously expected. 

New Onset AFib in COVID 19 Patients

Articles of Interest

Take a deep dive into the current state of Atrial Fibrillation with these three articles. 
Image of physician examining a paper document

Importance and Improvement in CHA2DS2-VASc Documentation
September 8th | 12:00 - 1:00pm CST

Join as we review the importance of CHA2DS2-VASc Score documentation for AFib patients.  Learn how Stanford Health Care and Northwestern Memorial Hospital have implemented process improvement initiatives around CHA2DS2-VASc Score documentation as well as utilizing Get With The Guidelines®-AFib data to improve outcomes. 

Register Now
Physician holding a foam heart

AFib Ablation: Who, What and Why?
September 21st | 12:00 - 1:00pm CST

From patient selection and current guidelines to safety and efficacy, Dr. Jackson will walk through important details and recommendations regarding AFib ablation. Plus, we'll take a high-level look at the dynamics of health equity at play, along with post-ablation management and care. Attendees will walk away with new understanding applicable to their day-to-day patient care. 

Register Now

Plug In With Podcasts

Focused on AFib education, this series of Atrial Fibrillation podcasts provides insight into common treatment barriers, model sharing, and more. 

Learn the importance of creating administrative buy-in, setting up an AFib clinic, and creating a multidisciplinary team to better treat patients and improve outcomes. 
Listen and Learn
Doctor speaking into a podcasting mic

Join the Conversation on Social Media

Share social media materials to lead conversations on AFib in your network. 
Download Social Media Content to Share

Patient Resources & Guidelines

Keep these tools on hand for patient education, internal quality improvement, and AFib awareness. 
View Materials for Download

Three Things You Can Do Today

Better awareness, education and patient care begins with you. If you or your hospital is interested in improving patient care for AFib patients, here are a few quick ideas to get the ball rolling now. 

Consult the Data

Inquire with your quality improvement leaders, or dig into existing registries. Is your hospital seeing significant numbers of stroke and heart failure patients with AFib? 


Talk to Your Chief of Cardiology

Three questions to ask:

  1. What is the AFib patient through put?
  2. What AFib-specific protocols are used hospital-wide?
  3. Are patients receiving guideline directed therapy at discharge? 

Raise Awareness

Share the materials and information found on this page. Consider emailing AFib Month information to internal stakeholders.

Distribute AFib-related education on your social media. Leading the conversation  increases public education and improves understanding. 

Get With The Guidelines® - AFib

Designed to assist hospital care teams in consistently providing the latest evidence-based treatment for their AFib patients. The program also offers a means of monitoring the quality of AFib care in U.S. hospitals to build a database for continued research and further quality improvement.
Learn More

Get With The Guidelines-AFib Hospital Recognition

Hospitals that participate actively and consistently in Get With The Guidelines®-AFib are eligible for public recognition. It's an opportunity to hone a competitive edge in the marketplace by providing tangible evidence of your commitment to quality care.

Congratulations to our recognized hospitals. 

Map of Recognized Hospitals

CHANGE AFib®

This new trial shines light on antiarrhythmic treatment for patients presenting to the hospital with first-detected AFib.  Learn more about CHANGE AFib and how to participate. CHANGE AFib a collaboration between the American Heart Association and Duke Clinical Research Institute, with support from Sanofi US.
Learn More About CHANGE AFib