Barriers to the use of anticoagulation for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: a representative survey of Australian family physicians.
OBJECTIVE
Anticoagulation reduces the risk of stroke in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation yet remains underused. We explored barriers to the use of anticoagulants among Australian family physicians.


METHODS
The authors conducted a representative, national survey.


RESULTS
Of the 596 (64.4%) eligible family physicians who participated, 15.8% reported having a patient with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation experience an intracranial hemorrhage with anticoagulation and 45.8% had a patient with known nonvalvular atrial fibrillation experience a stroke without anticoagulation. When presented with a patient at "very high risk" of stroke, only 45.6% of family physicians selected warfarin in the presence of a minor falls risk and 17.1% would anticoagulate if the patient had a treated peptic ulcer. Family physicians with less decisional conflict and longer-standing practices were more likely to endorse anticoagulation.


CONCLUSIONS
Strategies to optimize the management of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation should address psychological barriers to using anticoagulation.
Gattellari
Melina
M
Worthington
John
J
Zwar
Nicholas
N
Middleton
Sandy
S
D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications*; D001315:Australia; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D010821:Physicians, Family; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014859:Warfarin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000925:Anticoagulants; D014859:Warfarin