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Guideline-adherent antithrombotic treatment is associated with improved outcomes compared with undertreatment in high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation. The Euro Heart Survey on Atrial Fibrillation

Nieuwlaat, Robby ; Olsson, Bertil LU ; Lip, Gregory Y. H. ; Camm, A. John ; Breithardt, Guenter ; Capucci, Alessandro ; Meeder, Joan G. ; Prins, Martin H. ; Levy, Samuel and Crijns, Harry J. G. M. (2007) In American Heart Journal 153(6). p.1006-1012
Abstract
Background The Euro Heart Survey showed that antithrombotic treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) was moderately tailored to the 2001 American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and European Society of Cardiology (ACC/AHA/ESC) guidelines for the management of AF. What consequences does guideline-deviant antithrombotic treatment have in daily practice? Methods In the Euro Heart Survey on AF (2003-2004), an observational study on AF care in European cardiology practices, information was available on baseline stroke risk profile and antithrombotic drug treatment and on cardiovascular events during 1-year follow-up. Antithrombotic guideline adherence is assessed according to the 2001 ACC/AHA/ESC guidelines.... (More)
Background The Euro Heart Survey showed that antithrombotic treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) was moderately tailored to the 2001 American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and European Society of Cardiology (ACC/AHA/ESC) guidelines for the management of AF. What consequences does guideline-deviant antithrombotic treatment have in daily practice? Methods In the Euro Heart Survey on AF (2003-2004), an observational study on AF care in European cardiology practices, information was available on baseline stroke risk profile and antithrombotic drug treatment and on cardiovascular events during 1-year follow-up. Antithrombotic guideline adherence is assessed according to the 2001 ACC/AHA/ESC guidelines. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the association of guideline deviance with adverse outcome. Results The effect of antithrombotic guideline deviance was analyzed exclusively in 3634 high-risk patients with AF because these composed the majority (89%) and because few cardiovascular events occurred in low-risk patients. Among high-risk patients, antithrombotic treatment was in agreement with the guidelines in 61% of patients, whereas 28% were undertreated and 11% overtreated. Compared to guideline adherence, undertreatment was associated with a higher chance of thromboembolism (odds ratio [OR], 1.97; 95% CI, 1.29-3.01; P = .004) and the combined end point of cardiovascular death, thromboembolism, or major bleeding (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.14-2.10; P = .024). This increased risk was nonsignificant for the end point of stroke alone (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 0.82-2.46; P = .170). Overtreatment was nonsignificantly associated with a higher risk for major bleeding (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 0.76-3.02; P = .405). Conclusions Antithrombotic undertreatment of high-risk patients with AF was associated with a worse cardiovascular prognosis during 1 year, whereas overtreatment was not associated with a higher chance for major bleeding. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
American Heart Journal
volume
153
issue
6
pages
1006 - 1012
publisher
Mosby-Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000247540600017
  • scopus:34249682101
ISSN
1097-6744
DOI
10.1016/j.ahj.2007.03.008
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6546e243-f4f0-4a7c-b5d9-6da58b7e7ce4 (old id 648189)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:26:52
date last changed
2022-04-21 07:32:24
@article{6546e243-f4f0-4a7c-b5d9-6da58b7e7ce4,
  abstract     = {{Background The Euro Heart Survey showed that antithrombotic treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) was moderately tailored to the 2001 American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and European Society of Cardiology (ACC/AHA/ESC) guidelines for the management of AF. What consequences does guideline-deviant antithrombotic treatment have in daily practice? Methods In the Euro Heart Survey on AF (2003-2004), an observational study on AF care in European cardiology practices, information was available on baseline stroke risk profile and antithrombotic drug treatment and on cardiovascular events during 1-year follow-up. Antithrombotic guideline adherence is assessed according to the 2001 ACC/AHA/ESC guidelines. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the association of guideline deviance with adverse outcome. Results The effect of antithrombotic guideline deviance was analyzed exclusively in 3634 high-risk patients with AF because these composed the majority (89%) and because few cardiovascular events occurred in low-risk patients. Among high-risk patients, antithrombotic treatment was in agreement with the guidelines in 61% of patients, whereas 28% were undertreated and 11% overtreated. Compared to guideline adherence, undertreatment was associated with a higher chance of thromboembolism (odds ratio [OR], 1.97; 95% CI, 1.29-3.01; P = .004) and the combined end point of cardiovascular death, thromboembolism, or major bleeding (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.14-2.10; P = .024). This increased risk was nonsignificant for the end point of stroke alone (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 0.82-2.46; P = .170). Overtreatment was nonsignificantly associated with a higher risk for major bleeding (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 0.76-3.02; P = .405). Conclusions Antithrombotic undertreatment of high-risk patients with AF was associated with a worse cardiovascular prognosis during 1 year, whereas overtreatment was not associated with a higher chance for major bleeding.}},
  author       = {{Nieuwlaat, Robby and Olsson, Bertil and Lip, Gregory Y. H. and Camm, A. John and Breithardt, Guenter and Capucci, Alessandro and Meeder, Joan G. and Prins, Martin H. and Levy, Samuel and Crijns, Harry J. G. M.}},
  issn         = {{1097-6744}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{1006--1012}},
  publisher    = {{Mosby-Elsevier}},
  series       = {{American Heart Journal}},
  title        = {{Guideline-adherent antithrombotic treatment is associated with improved outcomes compared with undertreatment in high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation. The Euro Heart Survey on Atrial Fibrillation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2007.03.008}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ahj.2007.03.008}},
  volume       = {{153}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}