[Preventive treatment of nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation: from the efficacy of clinical trials to the effectiveness of clinical practice].
OBJECTIVE
To know the percentage of patients with nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation treated with anticoagulants as an approach to the effectiveness of the prophylactic treatment of stroke.


METHODS
Multicenter observational study.


METHODS
Six primary health centers from Barcelona.


METHODS
465 patients with the diagnosed of AF were selected during the second semester of 1996. Patients that had suffered a hemorrhagic stroke, or with mitral stenosis, or with a prosthetic valve, or had hyperthyroidism, or receiving anticoagulant therapy were excluded.


RESULTS
299 patients (64%) were finally included for the analysis. 15.8% of the patients were treated with acenocoumarin, and 35.4% were treated with aspirin. The percentage of patients treated improved for high risk patients (higher than 50%).


CONCLUSIONS
The percentage of patients with nonrheumatic AF treated with acenocoumarin or aspirin is low, and physicians might be reluctant to use them because of bleeding complications, compliance with the treatment, or problems of accessibility.
Brotons
C
C
Unitat d'Epidemiologia Clínica, Hospital General Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona.
Moral
I
I
Antón
J J
JJ
Cobos
M
M
Cucurull
E
E
Gállego
C
C
Ibáñez
M
M
Pérez
A
A
Llussà
J
J
Orozco
P
P
Ventureira
S
S
Samarra
M
M
Sanz
J
J
Permanyer
G
G
López
A
A
D000074:Acenocoumarol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013030:Spain
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000925:Anticoagulants; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D000074:Acenocoumarol; D001241:Aspirin