RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Atrial fibrillation in a primary care population: how close to NICE guidelines are we?
JF Clinical Medicine
JO Clin Med
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP 219
OP 223
DO 10.7861/clinmedicine.9-3-219
VO 9
IS 3
A1 Bryan Loo
A1 Cath Parnell
A1 Gerald Brook
A1 Ed Southall
A1 Ian Mahy
YR 2009
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/9/3/219.abstract
AB The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation were published in June 2006. It was anticipated that they would potentially lead to increased demand for echocardiography (ECHO), increased access to secondary care services (for example for cardioversion), and require additional resources for monitoring anticoagulation. A primary care survey was therefore initiated in South Devon, in advance of publication of the guidelines as a snapshot of existing practice, to determine any additional resources and education required to meet the new standards. The main aim was to determine what proportion of patients were managed exclusively in primary care, how frequently patients were investigated by ECHO and whether anticoagulation was being appropriately targeted at patients at high risk of thromboembolic events.