Primary Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation Using Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Inhibitors among Medicare Beneficiaries with Hypertension
Authors
Yin, Xianghua
Advisor
Date
Embargo until
Language
Book title
Publisher
Peer Reviewed
Type
Research Area
Jurisdiction
Files
Other Titles
See at
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system inhibitors (RAASIs) have long been associated with reduced risk of new-onset AF in patients with hypertension. However, previous studies have not properly accounted for the presence of competing risks in the usual care setting. Hypothesis: The study was designed to determine the effects of RAASIs on the hazard and cumulative incidence (sub-distribution hazard) of newly documented AF and to test whether the effects were significantly different from those of beta-blockers (BBs) or calcium-channel blockers (CCBs). Methods: A propensity score (PS)-matched retrospective cohort study was conducted in a random 5% sample of the Medicare beneficiary population from 2007 to 2011 with hypertension treated with antihypertensive drug monotherapy, consisting of 50,307 beneficiaries. Beneficiaries on RAASI-based monotherapies were matched 1:1 with beneficiaries on BB-based monotherapies (n=13,242) and CCB-based monotherapies (n=10,843) based on PS. All beneficiaries were free of baseline AF and compelling indications for RAASIs. Competing risk analyses were performed. Cox proportional cause-specific hazard regression was used to estimate the effects of RAASIs on newly documented AF and all-cause mortality without AF (i.e., competing risks). Fine-Gray Models were used to examine whether there was a significant difference in the cumulative incidence of newly documented AF between beneficiaries treated with RAASIs and BBs/CCBs, accounting for all-cause mortality without AF as competing risks. Results: The adjusted cause-specific hazard ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) in the RAASI vs. BB groups was 0.69 (95% CI: 0.58 to 0.81) for newly documented AF. The adjusted sub-distribution hazard ratio (95% CI) in the RAASI vs. BB groups was 0.69 for newly documented AF (95% CI: 0.59 to 0.81). The adjusted cause-specific hazard ratio (95% CI) in the RAASI vs. CCB groups was 0.55 (95% CI: 0.46 to 0.66) for newly documented AF. The adjusted sub-distribution hazard ratio (95% CI) in the RAASI vs. CCB groups was 0.54 for newly documented AF (95% CI: 0.45 to 0.65). Conclusions: RAASI-based monotherapies were associated with not only a reduced hazard of newly documented AF but also with a reduced sub-distribution hazard of newly documented AF for Medicare beneficiaries with hypertension enrolled in the Part D program.
