The Relationship between the Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation and Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and mechanisms of atrial fibrillation (AF) among type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients. Methods: We conducted a thorough search of PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Science Direct to find pertinent literature. Rayyan QRCI was utilized during the entire process. Results: We included twelve studies with a total of 587,822 T2D patients and 299,957 (51%) were females. The prevalence of AF among T2D patients ranged from 0.2% to 41.63% with a total prevalence of 44936 (7.6%). The reported risk factors for developing AF among T2D patients were impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), men, obesity, elderly patients, those with lower socioeconomic backgrounds, those who currently smoked, people with reduced renal function, long-term BP fluctuation, and microvascular illness. Conclusion: Although the exact relationship between T2D and AF is still unclear, there is a significant correlation. Certain glycemic control studies indicate that therapeutic HbA1c levels in conjunction with well-controlled T2D do not significantly reduce the risk of new-onset AF in T2D patients. Further investigation is needed to fully comprehend the connection between T2D and AF. In the interim, healthcare professionals can treat people with T2D, AF, or possibly both illnesses at the same time according to accepted guidelines.