Management of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation by Primary-Care Physicians in Germany: 1-Year Results of the ATRIUM Registry

Autor: David Pittrow, Janine Schmalowsky, Paulus Kirchhof, Wilhelm Kirch, Ludger Rosin, Karl Wegscheider, Thomas Meinertz
Rok vydání: 2014
Předmět:
Zdroj: Clinical Cardiology. 37:277-284
ISSN: 0160-9289
DOI: 10.1002/clc.22272
Popis: Background Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in Germany are often managed jointly by primary-care physicians in cooperation with cardiologists. We aimed to investigate the management and 1-year outcomes of AF patients in this setting. Hypothesis We set out to describe the current management of AF patients in primary care settings in Germany. Methods Observational registry with 1-year follow-up, performed by a representative, randomly selected sample of 781 primary-care physicians in Germany. Results Of 3781 patients with electrocardiographically documented AF, 3163 patients (age 71.9 ± 9.2 years, 57.9% males) were followed for 1 year; 28.4% had paroxysmal, 27.0% persistent, and 43.3% permanent AF. Comorbid conditions were common (mean CHA2DS2-VASc score 3. 8 ± 1.7). Rhythm-control therapy was used in 16.4%. Although oral anticoagulation was often used (82.7% at baseline), stroke rate during follow-up was high (2.7% stroke, 3.0% transient ischemic attack). Despite a long duration of AF (mean duration 61 months at enrollment), 18.5% of patients were hospitalized during the 1-year follow-up. Conclusions In this unselected group of patients with long-standing AF managed in primary care, hospitalizations and cardiovascular complications including strokes are frequent, illustrating the need to improve management of AF patients.
Databáze: OpenAIRE