[How suitable is thromboembolism prophylaxis for patients with chronic auricular fibrillation at 3 primary care...

To find just how suitable thromboembolism prophylaxis (TEP) is in a group of patients with chronic auricular fibrillation belonging to the primary care environment.

Cross-sectional and descriptive multi-centre study.

The study was performed at 3 urban primary care centres in Madrid.

All the patients recorded up to April 2001 with the diagnosis of chronic auricular fibrillation (n=274) were included. Patients with no clinical history or who had a valve prosthesis were excluded.

Demographic variables, existence of factors of risk of embolism, presence of counter-indications for oral anti-coagulants, and the kind of thromboembolic prophylaxis taken were collected.

A total of 274 patients were evaluated. Average age was 75 (SD, 9) and 52% were women. 82% of patients had at least one factor of risk of thromboembolism. The most commonly used kind of TEP was oral anti-coagulants. 45% of patients did not receive suitable TEP. 13.5% of patients at risk of embolism and who had no kind of TEP were found.

There is a high percentage of patients with chronic auricular fibrillation and a high risk of embolism, who do not receive adequate TEP, in the absence of counter-indications to taking oral anticoagulants. There is great scope for improvement, which is within professionals' possibilities.