Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (4)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Mead, G. E.
Right arrow Articles by Flapan, A. D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Mead, G. E.
Right arrow Articles by Flapan, A. D.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Age and Ageing, Vol 28, 73-75, Copyright © 1999 by British Geriatrics Society

ARTICLES

Cardioversion for atrial fibrillation: the views of consultant physicians, geriatricians and cardiologists

GE Mead, AT Elder, S Faulkner and AD Flapan
Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of stroke and also has adverse haemodynamic consequences. Cardioversion of AF to sinus rhythm may obviate the need for long-term anticoagulation and improve cardiovascular haemodynamics, but is probably underused. We therefore investigated the views of hospital consultants about cardioversion for AF. METHODS: 336 Postal questionnaires were sent to all 186 consultant physicians, 54 cardiologists and 96 geriatricians in Scotland, followed by one reminder letter to non-responders. RESULTS: 71% Of questionnaires were returned. Cardiologists referred 18% of AF patients for cardioversion, while physicians referred 11% and geriatricians 5%. Cardiologists had better access to cardioversion facilities and were less likely to consider an enlarged left atrium and organic heart disease to be contra-indications to cardioversion. Anticoagulation was given for less than 3 weeks before cardioversion by 9% of cardiologists, 39% of physicians and 65% of geriatricians (P<0.001), and for less than 3 weeks after cardioversion by 17% of cardiologists, 45% of physicians and 47% of geriatricians (P = 0.7). SUMMARY: The wide variation in practice both between and within the different specialties suggests that consensus guidelines based on the best available evidence should be developed.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Eur Heart JHome page
S. Stewart, K. MacIntyre, M.M.C. MacLeod, A.E.M. Bailey, S. Capewell, and J.J.V. McMurray
Trends in hospital activity, morbidity and case fatality related to atrial fibrillation in Scotland, 1986-1996
Eur. Heart J., April 2, 2001; 22(8): 693 - 701.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.