Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia, particularly among patients aged ≥65 years. Despite the significant morbidity and mortality, AF often remains undiagnosed, particularly in asymptomatic or subclinical cases. Early detection and management are essential to mitigate severe complications such as stroke and heart failure. These efforts are crucial in primary care, where family medicine practitioners are key. Timely recognition and control of AF can substantially decrease the burden on emergency services by preventing AF-related complications. This study aimed to evaluate the screening practices and knowledge levels of physicians regarding AF among patients aged ≥65 years. This study aimed to identify gaps in knowledge and practices that may hinder the effective detection and management of AF. A prospective survey was conducted among 123 physicians working in various healthcare settings across Turkey, from May 2022 to June 2022.The survey assessed demographic information, AF screening practices, familiarity with clinical guidelines, and knowledge of the AF risk factors. The majority of respondents were family medicine specialists (48.4%) and assistants (44.4%), with a mean age of 33.45 years and an average of 8.53 years of professional experience. The survey revealed that 77.4% of physicians did not routinely screen patients aged >65 years for AF using any method and only 30.6% performed ECG screening. However, 73.4% of the patients were familiar with the CHA₂DS₂-VASc score, which is essential for assessing stroke risk in patients with AF. Logistic regression analysis indicated that specialists were 2.85 times more likely to screen for AF than general practitioners, and those with prior training in AF were 3.10 times more likely to conduct AF screening. This study highlights significant gaps in AF screening practices among physicians despite a relatively high awareness of AF-related guidelines. These findings emphasize the need for ongoing education and targeted training to improve AF detection and management in primary care and potentially reduce the burden of AF-related complications.
Key words: Atrial fibrillation, screening practices, emergency medicine, primary care, risk management, early detection
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