OBJECTIVE: To find just how suitable thromboembolism prophylaxis (TEP) is in a group of patients with chronic auricular fibrillation belonging to the primary care environment. DESIGN: Cross-sectional and descriptive multi-centre study. SETTING: The study was performed at 3 urban primary care centres in Madrid. PARTICIPANTS: All the patients recorded up to April 2001 with the diagnosis of chronic auricular fibrillation (n=274) were included. Patients with no clinical history or who had a valve prosthesis were excluded. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Demographic variables, existence of factors of risk of embolism, presence of counter-indications for oral anti-coagulants, and the kind of thromboembolic prophylaxis taken were collected. RESULTS: A total of 274 patients were evaluated. Average age was 75 (SD, 9) and 52% were women. 82% of patients had at least one factor of risk of thromboembolism. The most commonly used kind of TEP was oral anti-coagulants. 45% of patients did not receive suitable TEP. 13.5% of patients at risk of embolism and who had no kind of TEP were found. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high percentage of patients with chronic auricular fibrillation and a high risk of embolism, who do not receive adequate TEP, in the absence of counter-indications to taking oral anticoagulants. There is great scope for improvement, which is within professionals' possibilities.
OBJECTIVE: To find just how suitable thromboembolism prophylaxis (TEP) is in a group of patients with chronic auricular fibrillation belonging to the primary care environment. DESIGN: Cross-sectional and descriptive multi-centre study. SETTING: The study was performed at 3 urban primary care centres in Madrid. PARTICIPANTS: All the patients recorded up to April 2001 with the diagnosis of chronic auricular fibrillation (n=274) were included. Patients with no clinical history or who had a valve prosthesis were excluded. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Demographic variables, existence of factors of risk of embolism, presence of counter-indications for oral anti-coagulants, and the kind of thromboembolic prophylaxis taken were collected. RESULTS: A total of 274 patients were evaluated. Average age was 75 (SD, 9) and 52% were women. 82% of patients had at least one factor of risk of thromboembolism. The most commonly used kind of TEP was oral anti-coagulants. 45% of patients did not receive suitable TEP. 13.5% of patients at risk of embolism and who had no kind of TEP were found. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high percentage of patients with chronic auricular fibrillation and a high risk of embolism, who do not receive adequate TEP, in the absence of counter-indications to taking oral anticoagulants. There is great scope for improvement, which is within professionals' possibilities.
Authors: M Heras; A Fernández Ortiz; J A Gómez Guindal; J A Iriarte; R M Lidón; F Pérez Gómez; I Roldán Journal: Rev Esp Cardiol Date: 1999-10 Impact factor: 4.753
Authors: Daniel E Singer; Robert A Hughes; Daryl R Gress; Mary A Sheehan; Lynn B Oertel; Sue Ward Maraventano; Dyan Ryan Blewett; Bernard Rosner; J Philip Kistler Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 1990-11-29 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: G W Albers; J M Yim; K M Belew; N Bittar; C R Hattemer; B G Phillips; S Kemp; E A Hall; D J Morton; P H Vlasses Journal: Arch Intern Med Date: 1996-11-11