Nov 18, 2013 04:58 PM EST By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

Are more people suffering from an irregular heartbeat than ever before or is awareness of the condition simply greater, resulting in a huge spike in reported cases and hospitalizations? Researchers believe it's a combination of the two, according to US News.

Study leader Dr. Sadip Pant, an internist with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, said the increasing amount of senior citizens could be a major reason why his study found that the number of people hospitalized for atrial fibrillation, the most common form of irregular heartbeat, increased by 46 percent from 1998 to 2010 and is expected to increase by another 28 percent by 2020 if measures aren't taken. The aging population is associated with "a variety of risk factors" related to the heart condition, said Pant, like obesity, uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes and heart failure, US News reported.

The results confirmed the practices of Dr. Mary Ann Bauman, a heart association spokeswoman and a general practice internist in Oklahoma City.

"I know I'm seeing more atrial fibrillation in my practice than I did 10, 15 years ago," she said. "This is not a surprise to me."

Bauman admitted her growing awareness of the condition and increased knowledge among her colleagues may have also led to the rising number of hospitalizations, according to U.S. News.

Atrial fibrillation causes "rapid and irregular heartbeat, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating, fatigue or chest pain," according to U.S. News. Though it's not fatal in itself, it significantly increases the chances of stroke.

Besides the semi-serious nature of the condition, it is also expensive to treat. Costs are expected to increase to $40,000 per individual case by 2010 -- why one of the primary purposes of this study is to emphasize preventative measures. Prevention is the best way to keep people away from costly hospital procedures, said Pant. Identifying those at risk and putting them on a program of diet and exercise would be one such preventative method, U.S. News reported.

"We think a collaborative care approach in which a physician works with specialists, with active patient participation, in risk factor management is really needed to reduce those hospitalizations," Pant said.

"If we can begin to control [high blood pressure], obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors, then we might hope to slow that trend," Bauman said.

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