Screening and detection of atrial fibrillation in primary care: current practice and future perspectives.

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia associated with an increased risk of stroke, which can be effectively reduced by prophylaxis initiation and integrated care to reduce cardiovascular risk and AF-related complications. Screening for AF has the potential to improve long-term clinical outcomes through timely AF detection in asymptomatic patients. With the central role of primary care in most European healthcare systems in terms of disease detection, treatment, as well as record keeping, primary care is ideally situated as a setting for AF screening efforts. In this review, we provide an overview of evidence relating to AF screening in primary care. We discuss current practices of AF detection and screening, evidence from AF screening trials conducted in primary care settings, stakeholder views on barriers and facilitators for AF screening in primary care, and important aspects that will likely shape routine primary care AF detection as well as AF screening efforts. Finally, we present a potential outline for a primary care-centred AF screening trial coupled to integrated AF care that could further improve the benefit of AF screening.