[Total arrhythmia due to atrial fibrillation. The primary care approach]

To evaluate the aetiological understanding of auricular fibrillation, the control of ventricular frequency and treatment with anticoagulant drugs and plasmatic antiaggregants.

Descriptive study.

The study was carried out in the Just Oliveras Primary Care Centre (Basic Health Area) in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona.

Between May and December, 1991, the clinical records of 59 patients with auricular fibrillation was checked.

The predisposing factors found were as follows: arterial hypertension, 34%; alcohol intake, 23%; valvulopathy, 19%; ischaemic cardiopathy, 14%; and other cardiopathies, 10%. The average ventricular frequency found was 83 beats per minute. The most common drugs used were digitalis and amiodarone, this latter either alone or with other drugs. Out of a total of 21 patients suffering valvulopathy, 9 received treatment with coumarin. Of these 5 presented mitral valvulopathy and 3 a double mitral lesion. Eight patients (13.5%) received acetylsalicylic acid and 4 (6.8%) took other plasmatic antiaggregants. We can conclude that hyperthyroidism has little relevance as a cause of TA x AF. Each patient's possibilities for cardioversion were not assessed in depth. There were an excessive number of patients who had not had antiaggregant/anticoagulant treatment. Finally, we consider that amiodarone, given to control ventricular response, is over-used.