Early atrial fibrillation detection and the transition to comprehensive management

Dominik Linz*, Astrid Hermans, Robert G. Tieleman

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Current atrial fibrillation (AF) guidelines recommend screening for AF in individuals above 65years or with other characteristics suggestive of increased stroke risk. Several mobile health (mHealth) approaches are available to identify AF. Although most wearables or ECG machines include algorithms to detect AF, an ECG confirmation of AF is necessary to establish a suspected diagnosis of AF. Early detection of AF is important to allow early initiation of AF management, and early rhythm control therapy lowered risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes among patients with early AF aged >75 or with a CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score >= 2 and cardiovascular conditions in the EAST-AFNET 4 study. Strategies for early AF detection should be always linked to a comprehensive work-up infrastructure organized within an integrated care pathway to allow early initiation and guidance of AF treatment in newly detected AF patients. In this review article, we summarize strategies and mHealth approaches for early AF detection and the transition to early AF management including AF symptoms evaluation and assessment of AF progression as well as AF risk factors.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)II46-II51
Number of pages6
JournalEP Europace
Volume23
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2021

Keywords

  • Atrial fibrillation
  • Screening
  • Management
  • Mobile health
  • Integrated care
  • HIGH-RATE EPISODES
  • RHYTHM-CONTROL
  • RANDOMIZED-TRIAL
  • USUAL CARE
  • FOLLOW-UP
  • PROGRESSION
  • SEVERITY
  • PATTERNS
  • SCALE
  • RISK

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