title: Anticoagulant treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation in primary health care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of anticoagulant (AC) treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation in primary health care. To identify complications in the same patients during 1 year.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study and 1-year follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven health centres with a total population of 164093.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five hundred and twenty-two anticoagulated patients with atrial fibrillation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age-adjusted prevalence of AC treated patients with atrial fibrillation was 0.30%. Of the 522 patients, 240 were men, mean age 69.6 years; and 282 women, mean age 75.1 years. At the beginning of the study 85% and after 1 year 81% of the latest prothrombin time values were within recommended range. After 1 year 414 out of the 522 patients continued AC treatment. During the 1-year follow-up 62 patients had minor or major complications. Eleven patients (2.1%) had to discontinue AC treatment because of complications. Prothrombin tests were mainly taken at 3-4 week intervals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High quality AC treatment is possible in the hands of general practitioners.
authors.affiliation: Health Centre, Seinäjoki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viitaniemi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eskola
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurunmäki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Latva-Nevala
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wallin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paloneva
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Virjo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ylinen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isokoski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011787:Quality of Health Care
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants