Proportion of Patients with Implanted Permanent Pacemakers with Atrial Fibrillation Receiving Appropriate Medical Prophylaxis in North Wales

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with an increased long-term risk of stroke, heart failure, and mortality. Previous studies have demonstrated the suboptimal use of anticoagulation therapy in patients with AF. A retrospective survey of patients (N = 1,113) fitted with dual-chamber pacemakers found 71 patients (age 69 ± 35, mean ± standard deviation) with atrial tachycardia and AF (defined as >5 minutes per day). Their medical records and anticoagulation status were investigated and used to stratify each patient for stroke risk with the Birmingham 2009 schema (CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc) and assessed to determine the rate of appropriate thromboembolism (TE) prophylaxis prescription. The most common overall concomitant risk factor for stroke was hypertension (54%), followed by age ≥75 (51%), being female and previous stroke/transient ischemic attack/TE (39%). The average CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score was 3.7 ± 1.6. Fifty-six percent of the patients were not receiving appropriate anticoagulation therapy. This study demonstrates an underutilization of the oral anticoagulant warfarin in patients with known AF and that the clinicians may not be regarding current stroke risk factors when adopting a thromboprophylaxis strategy.