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. 2010 May;12(5):626-33.
doi: 10.1093/europace/euq109.

An international survey of physician and patient understanding, perception, and attitudes to atrial fibrillation and its contribution to cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality

Etienne Aliot  1 , Günter Breithardt, Josep Brugada, John Camm, Gregory Y H Lip, Panos E Vardas, Markus Wagner; Atrial Fibrillation AWareness And Risk Education group; Atrial Fibrillation Association; European Heart Rhythm Association; Stroke Alliance for Europe; World Heart Federation
Affiliations

An international survey of physician and patient understanding, perception, and attitudes to atrial fibrillation and its contribution to cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality

Etienne Aliot et al. Europace. 2010 May.

Abstract

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is not always perceived as a serious health threat, but is the most common sustained arrhythmia, with a major impact on morbidity, mortality, and patient quality of life (QoL). A survey was undertaken to examine the level of understanding, perception, and attitudes of the cardiovascular risks associated with AF.

Methods and results: The AF AWARE group (an international coalition of organizations with an interest in AF) conducted an international quantitative survey in 11 countries in 2009, to investigate patients' (n = 825) and cardiologists' (n = 810) perceptions of AF, preferences for communicating information on AF and burden of AF. Both patients and physicians considered AF life-threatening (55 and 43%, respectively). Physicians were more concerned about the risk of stroke and hospitalizations than patients, whereas patients were most concerned about death risk. One in four patients felt unable to explain AF and >33% were worried or fearful about their disease. Many physicians (51%) wanted more patient information with >60% viewing available information as poor/difficult to find. Hospital specialists and GPs were identified as key information sources for patients. Most patients (83%) reported symptoms, yet 75% claimed to be satisfied with AF therapies. Atrial fibrillation patients, often with associated diseases, made an average of nine visits per year to their doctors, who consider AF difficult and time consuming to manage. Patients and physicians rated the QoL impact of AF as moderate to high.

Conclusions: A comprehensive international patient and professional information and support programme on AF is needed to improve management and consequently health outcomes.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Key features of the history of atrial fibrillation (AF) disease and diagnosis reported by patients.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Patient knowledge about atrial fibrillation (AF) and its management. Physicians' estimates and perceptions of their patients' familiarity with aspects of treatment compared with patients' own familiarity ratings of aspects of atrial fibrillation treatments. Percentage of respondents rating aspects of atrial fibrillation treatment (perceived patient view, actual patient view) as not familiar (scores 1–2), neutral (3), and familiar (4–5), mean score rating, mean score rating difference between physicians and patients.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Patient satisfaction with atrial fibrillation (AF) treatments. Physicians' estimates and perceptions of their patients' satisfaction with atrial fibrillation treatments compared with patients' own satisfaction ratings for atrial fibrillation treatments. Percentage of respondents rating aspects of atrial fibrillation treatment (perceived patient view, actual patient view) as not satisfied (scores 1–2), neutral (3), and satisfied (4–5).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Physician satisfaction with level of information and educational materials provided to patients with atrial fibrillation compared with information provided on other clinical conditions. Percentage of physicians rating information as poor (scores 1–2) or neutral (score 3).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Patients' preferred sources for receiving information on atrial fibrillation, and physicians' perceptions of their patients' preferred information sources.
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