Atrial fibrillation
Diagnosis
Routine office evaluation
A study of routine pulse checks or electrocardiograms during routine office visits, found that the annual rate of detection of atrial fibrillation in elderly patients improved from 1.04% to 1.63%.[1] This implies that the sensitivity of the routine examination is 64% (1.04/1.63).
Electrocardiogram
Regarding the accuracy of the electrocardiogram[2]:
- Interpreted by software:
- sensitivity = 83%
- specificity = 99%
- Interpreted by a primary care physician:
- sensitivity = 80%
- specificity = 92%
- Interpreted by a primary care physician with software:
- sensitivity = 92%
- specificity = 91%
Prognosis
Risk of stroke
The risk of stroke in a patient with atrial fibrillation can be predicted with the CHADS2 score.
Treatment
Rate control versus rhythm control
Among patients with heart failure, rhythm control was associated with slight, although statistically insignificant, increase in mortality.[3]
Episodic medical therapy has conflicting results with a positive uncontrolled before and after trial of flecainide and propafenone[4] and a negative randomized controlled trial of episodic amiodarone versus continuous amiodarone.[5]
Anticoagulation
Anticoagulation can prevent recurrent stroke. Among patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, anticoagulation can reduce stroke by 60% while antiplatelet agents can reduce stroke by 20%. [6]. However, a recent meta-analysis suggests harm from anti-coagulation started early after an embolic stroke.[7]
References
- ↑ Fitzmaurice DA, Hobbs FD, Jowett S, et al (2007). "Screening versus routine practice in detection of atrial fibrillation in patients aged 65 or over: cluster randomised controlled trial". DOI:10.1136/bmj.39280.660567.55. PMID 17673732. Research Blogging.
- ↑ Mant J, Fitzmaurice DA, Hobbs FD, et al (2007). "Accuracy of diagnosing atrial fibrillation on electrocardiogram by primary care practitioners and interpretative diagnostic software: analysis of data from screening for atrial fibrillation in the elderly (SAFE) trial". DOI:10.1136/bmj.39227.551713.AE. PMID 17604299. Research Blogging.
- ↑ Roy D, Talajic M, Nattel S, et al (June 2008). "Rhythm control versus rate control for atrial fibrillation and heart failure". N. Engl. J. Med. 358 (25): 2667–77. DOI:10.1056/NEJMoa0708789. PMID 18565859. Research Blogging.
- ↑ Alboni P, Botto GL, Baldi N, et al (December 2004). "Outpatient treatment of recent-onset atrial fibrillation with the "pill-in-the-pocket" approach". The New England journal of medicine 351 (23): 2384–91. DOI:10.1056/NEJMoa041233. PMID 15575054. Research Blogging.
- ↑ Ahmed, Sheba; Michiel Rienstra, Harry J. G. M. Crijns, Thera P. Links, Ans C. P. Wiesfeld, Hans L. Hillege, Hans A. Bosker, Dirk J. A. Lok, Dirk J. Van Veldhuisen, Isabelle C. Van Gelder, for the CONVERT Investigators (2008-10-15). "Continuous vs Episodic Prophylactic Treatment With Amiodarone for the Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation: A Randomized Trial". JAMA 300 (15): 1784-1792. DOI:10.1001/jama.300.15.1784. Retrieved on 2008-10-15. Research Blogging.
- ↑ Hart RG, Pearce LA, Aguilar MI (2007). "Meta-analysis: antithrombotic therapy to prevent stroke in patients who have nonvalvular atrial fibrillation". Ann. Intern. Med. 146 (12): 857-67. PMID 17577005. [e]
- ↑ Paciaroni M, Agnelli G, Micheli S, Caso V (2007). "Efficacy and safety of anticoagulant treatment in acute cardioembolic stroke: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials". Stroke 38 (2): 423-30. DOI:10.1161/01.STR.0000254600.92975.1f. PMID 17204681. Research Blogging. ACP JC synopsis