Screening for atrial fibrillation to reduce the risk of stroke1

AFib is associated with a 5x greater risk of stroke, however with effective treatment, the risk of stroke can be reduced.3

 

 

The lifetime risk for AFib is 1 in 3 individuals1 and it often occurs with hypertension. Early detection is key, to allow for prompt and satisfactory disease management to not only control symptoms but also to prevent further complications.5

According to the 2020 ESC/ESH medical guidelines on AFib1:

    • Opportunistic screening for AFib is recommended in hypertensive patients.
    • Definite diagnosis of AFib in screen-positive cases is established only after physician reviews the single-lead ECG recording of ≥30s or 12-lead ECG and confirms that it shows AFib.

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    Screening can also highlight cases of known suboptimal managed AFib. According to recent studies, intermittent ECG recording increased new AF detection four-fold. Next to this, both systematic and opportunistic screening are more cost-effective than routine practice for patients ≥65 years. However, appropriate patient information is needed to motivate and reduce anxiety in patients for screening1. Try engaging with your patients at risk, by helping them with home ECG monitoring.

    Learn more at the OMRON Academy

    Patients at risk for AFib

    Meet Karl*

     

    Karl is a 48 year old teacher, he has smoked since he was in his early 20s and enjoys his wine. Sometimes a little too much. As a man (incidence of AFib is slightly higher in males), a smoker, and someone who has been known to habitually drink alcohol in excess, Karl could be at risk of AFib and might benefit from being assessed8

    Meet Dirk*

    Dirk is a 33 year old businessman, he has recently been diagnosed with dyslipidemia, which is currently untreated as his doctor has initially advised him to make some diet and lifestyle changes while his cholesterol levels are monitored. He is also obese, with a BMI of 32.1. Dirk’s high cholesterol and obesity are both triggers and predisposing factors for the appearance of AFib.8

    Meet Katia*

    Katia is a 68 year old retired pre-school nursery practitioner. She is also a mother and a grandmother. Katia has been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and type 2 diabetes, for which she is receiving treatment. It’s possible that both diseases could predispose Katia to developing AFib. So, she could benefit from being assessed at regular intervals .8

    *Hypothetical patient profile

    What are the benefits for your patients when monitoring their ECG at home. 6

      • Multiple readings are possible over an extended period of time.
      • Avoids white-coat reactions to measurement.
      • Helps patients to better understand the importance of monitoring.
      • Detects increased heart rate variability.
      • Predicts CV morbidity and mortality better than office-based BP monitoring.

    What are the benefits for you when your patients monitor at home? 7

        • Home monitoring improves control and patient outcomes.
        • Self-monitoring reminds patients of the importance of medication adherence and healthy lifestyle factors.

    Help your patients easily and accurately screen at home

     

    OMRON Complete

    2-in-1 home upper arm blood pressure monitor with single-lead ECG

        • Single-lead ECG – taken with a regular blood pressure check
        • Easily makes regular monitoring part of a daily routine, with clear instantaneous results to accurately track progress.
        • OMRON connect app - intuitive dashboard provides a quick overview of blood pressure and 1-lead ECG patterns which can easily be shared with a doctor.

    Discover more

    Complimentary training with OMRON Academy

    OMRON Academy Online is a complimentary e-learning platform for healthcare professionals. The courses are created by leading medical experts and endorsed by leading medical societies.


    Discover the latest courses on OMRON Academy Online about about atrial fibrillation. Get a better understanding of the challenges of this disease, learn more about self-monitoring, and the relevant guidelines to help you and your patients.

    Atrial fibrillation uncovered

    AFib is an abnormal heart rhythm and the most common arrhythmia that impacts the measurement of blood pressure when using oscillometric techniques.

    Course length 15 minutes

    Start course

    How ECG can help with diagnosis
    An electrocardiogram (ECG) is used to determine how the heart is functioning. ECG is important for early detection of a cardiac disorder.

    Course length 15 minutes
    Start course
    Monitoring tachycardia with ECG
    Tachycardia is a faster heart beat than normal, typically over 100 bpm, which could be an early sign of a serious pathology. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate management could benefit patient outcomes.
    Course length 10 minutes
    Start course

    Learn more about atrial fibrillation with our webinars

    Check out our latest Webinars in collaboration with leading experts in the field of cardiology.

    March 17, 2022
    Improving Prevention of Strokes: New Developments in the Field of Early Detection of Afib
    Speakers: Dr. Yassir Javaid, Prof. Dr. Faizel Osman, Dr. Barry McDonnell, Lucy Gilbert
    ,Watch now

    August 27, 2021
    Home screening for stroke prevention: a practical assessment
    Speakers: J.J. Bax, Prof. G. Hindricks, Assoc. Prof. K. Senoo

    Watch now

    To see what other webinars are available, please click this link here

     

    Further reading on atrial fibrillation:

    Find more publications here

    References:

    1 Hindricks G. et al. ‘’2020 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation developed in collaboration with the European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS). ‘’ European Heart Journal (2020) 00, 1-126.
    2 Wyndham C. R. (2000). Atrial fibrillation: the most common arrhythmia. Texas Heart Insititute Journal, 27(3), 257-267.
    3 Balanis T, Sanner B. Detection of Atrial Fibrillation Using a Home Blood Pressure Monitor. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2021;17:407-414
    4 Cohen, Debbie L., and Raymond R. Townsend. “Blood Pressure in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Part 1-Measurement.” Journal of clinical hypertension (Greenwich, Conn.) 19.1 (2016): 98-99.
    5 Kirchhof P, Benussi S, Kotecha D, Ahlsson A, Atar D et al. (2016) 2016 ESC Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation developed in collaboration with EACTS. Eur Heart J 37 (38):2893-2962.
    6 George, J. and MacDonald, T. (2015). Home Blood Pressure Monitoring. European Cardiology Review, 10(2), p.95.
    7 Breaux-Shropshire, T. et al. (2015). Does home blood pressure monitoring improve patient outcomes? A systematic review comparing home and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring on blood pressure control and patient outcomes. Integrated Blood Pressure Control, p.43.
    8 Naser, N.