Michele Massimo Gulizia1,2, Roberto Cemin3, Furio Colivicchi4, Leonardo De Luca5, Andrea Di Lenarda6, Giuseppe Boriani7, Giuseppe Di Pasquale8, Federico Nardi9, Marino Scherillo10, Donata Lucci2, Gianna Fabbri2, Aldo Pietro Maggioni2. 1. Cardiology Division, Ospedale Garibaldi-Nesima, Azienda di Rilievo Nazionale e Alta Specializzazione 'Garibaldi' Catania, Italy. 2. ANMCO Research Center of the Heart Care Foundation, Via La Marmora, 36, Firenze, Italy. 3. Cardiology Division, San Maurizio Regional Hospital of Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy. 4. UOC Cardiologia-UTIC, San Filippo Neri Hospital, Rome, Italy. 5. Division of Cardiology, San Giovanni Evangelista Hospital, Tivoli, Italy. 6. Cardiovascular Center, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata di Trieste, Trieste, Italy. 7. Cardiology Division, Department of Diagnostics, Clinical and Public Health Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Policlinico di Modena, Modena, Italy. 8. Division of Cardiology, Maggiore Hospital, Bologna, Italy. 9. Unit of Cardiology, S. Spirito Hospital, Casale Monferrato, Italy. 10. Interventional Cardiology-CCU Department, G. Rummo Hospital, Benevento, Italy.
Abstract
AIMS: To assess the number of admissions to the emergency room (ER) of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (af) and their subsequent management. To evaluate the clinical profile and the use of antithrombotics and antiarrhythmic therapy in patients with AF admitted to cardiology wards. METHODS AND RESULTS: BLITZ-AF is a multicentre, observational study conducted in 154 centres on patients with AF/af. In each centre, data were collected, retrospectively for 4 weeks in ER and prospectively for 12 weeks in cardiology wards. In ER, there were 6275 admissions. Atrial fibrillation was the main diagnosis in 52.9% of the cases, af in 5.9%. Atrial fibrillation represented 1.0% of all ER admissions and 1.7% of all hospital admissions. A cardioversion has been performed in nearly 25% of the cases. Out of 4126 patients, 52.2% were admitted in cardiology ward; mean age was 74 ± 11 years, 41% were females. Patients with non-valvular AF were 3848 (93.3%); CHA2DS2-VASc score was ≥2 in 87.4%. Cardioversion was attempted in 38.8% of the patients. In-hospital mortality was 1.2%. At discharge, 42.6% of the patients were treated with vitamin K antagonists, 39.5% with direct oral anticoagulants, 13.6% with other antithrombotic drugs, and 4.2% did not take any antithrombotic agent. Rate control strategy was pursued in 47.2%, rhythm control in 44.0%, 45.6% were discharged in sinus rhythm. CONCLUSION: Atrial fibrillation still represents a significant burden on health care system. Oral anticoagulant use increased over time even if compliance with guidelines, with respect to prevention of the risk of stroke, remains suboptimal.
AIMS: To assess the number of admissions to the emergency room (ER) of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (af) and their subsequent management. To evaluate the clinical profile and the use of antithrombotics and antiarrhythmic therapy in patients with AF admitted to cardiology wards. METHODS AND RESULTS: BLITZ-AF is a multicentre, observational study conducted in 154 centres on patients with AF/af. In each centre, data were collected, retrospectively for 4 weeks in ER and prospectively for 12 weeks in cardiology wards. In ER, there were 6275 admissions. Atrial fibrillation was the main diagnosis in 52.9% of the cases, af in 5.9%. Atrial fibrillation represented 1.0% of all ER admissions and 1.7% of all hospital admissions. A cardioversion has been performed in nearly 25% of the cases. Out of 4126 patients, 52.2% were admitted in cardiology ward; mean age was 74 ± 11 years, 41% were females. Patients with non-valvular AF were 3848 (93.3%); CHA2DS2-VASc score was ≥2 in 87.4%. Cardioversion was attempted in 38.8% of the patients. In-hospital mortality was 1.2%. At discharge, 42.6% of the patients were treated with vitamin K antagonists, 39.5% with direct oral anticoagulants, 13.6% with other antithrombotic drugs, and 4.2% did not take any antithrombotic agent. Rate control strategy was pursued in 47.2%, rhythm control in 44.0%, 45.6% were discharged in sinus rhythm. CONCLUSION: Atrial fibrillation still represents a significant burden on health care system. Oral anticoagulant use increased over time even if compliance with guidelines, with respect to prevention of the risk of stroke, remains suboptimal.
Authors: Vincenzo Livio Malavasi; Elisa Fantecchi; Virginia Tordoni; Laura Melara; Andrea Barbieri; Marco Vitolo; Gregory Y H Lip; Giuseppe Boriani Journal: Intern Emerg Med Date: 2020-11-07 Impact factor: 3.397
Authors: Sophie Gupta; Martin Lutnik; Jan Niederdöckl; Sebastian Schnaubelt Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-04-15 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Leon M Ptaszek; Christopher W Baugh; Steven A Lubitz; Jeremy N Ruskin; Grace Ha; Margaux Forsch; Samer A DeOliveira; Samia Baig; E Kevin Heist; Jason H Wasfy; David F Brown; Paul D Biddinger; Ali S Raja; Benjamin Scirica; Benjamin A White; Moussa Mansour Journal: J Am Heart Assoc Date: 2019-09-12 Impact factor: 5.501
Authors: P P Olimpieri; A Di Lenarda; F Mammarella; L Gozzo; A Cirilli; M Cuomo; M M Gulizia; F Colivicchi; G Murri; D Gabrielli; F Trotta Journal: Int J Cardiol Heart Vasc Date: 2020-01-23