Prevalence of atrial fibrillation and use of antithrombotics in hypertensive patients aged >or=65 years. The FAPRES trial.
OBJECTIVE
Age and arterial hypertension are two of the main factors associated with atrial fibrillation and an increased risk of embolism. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of atrial fibrillation and the extent of antithrombotic use in hypertensive patients aged >or=65 years in the Spanish region of Valencia.


METHODS
Each study investigator enrolled the first three hypertensive patients aged >or=65 years who came for a consultation on the first day of each week for 5 weeks. Each patient's risk factors, history of cardiovascular disease, CHADS2 score and medical treatment were noted and an ECG was recorded. Data were analyzed centrally. A patient was regarded as having atrial fibrillation if it was observable on the ECG or reported in medical records.


RESULTS
The study included 1,028 hypertensive patients with a mean age of 72.8 years. Overall, 10.3% had atrial fibrillation: in 6.7%, it was observable on the ECG while 3.6% were in sinus rhythm but had a history of the condition. Factors associated with atrial fibrillation were age, alcohol intake, structural heart disease and glomerular filtration rate. In total, 76.2% of patients with ECG evidence of atrial fibrillation and a CHADS2 score >1 were taking anticoagulants compared with 41.7% of those who had a history of the condition but were currently in sinus rhythm.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of atrial fibrillation in our group of hypertensives was 10.3%; in 1.7%, it was previously undiagnosed. Antithrombotic use was high in patients with current atrial fibrillation, but lower in those who had experienced an episode previously.
Morillas
Pedro
P
Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Universitario de San Juan, Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, España. pedromorillas@teleline.es
Pallarés
Vicente
V
Llisterri
José Luis
JL
Sanchis
Carlos
C
Sánchez
Tomás
T
Fácila
Lorenzo
L
Pérez-Alonso
Manuel
M
Castillo
Jesús
J
Redón
Josep
J
Bertomeu
Vicente
V
D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents