Standardized community management on the diagnosis, treatment, and risk factors control for non-valvular atrial fibrillation in elderly patients

BACKGROUND: By investigating the knowledge, medication, occurrence of complications, and risks among elderly non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients in Shanghai communities, and providing standardized comprehensive management and follow-up, we aim to explore the impact of standardized community management on improving disease awareness, standardizing atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment, reducing the risk of complications occurrence, and addressing risk factors for AF patients. METHODS: This research selected elderly atrial fibrillation patients from Zhuanqiao Community Health Service Center, Minhang District, Shanghai from July 2020 to October 2022. Their personal health records and examination results were reviewed, and the incidence of AF, awareness, medication, and complications were investigated. Age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (aCCI), CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score, and HAS-BLED score were used to evaluate disease burden, thromboembolic risk, and bleeding risk, respectively. The patients were subjected to standardized community management, and the compliance rate of disease awareness, treatment, resting heart rate, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and body mass index (BMI) were assessed at the baseline, 6 months and 1 year after management. RESULTS: A total of 243 NVAF patients were included, with an average aCCI score of (4.5 ± 1.1). Among them, 28% of the patients were aware of their AF, and 18.1% of the patients were aware of the hazards of AF. Of the patients, 11.9% used anticoagulant drugs, including 6.6% and 5.3% for warfarin and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs), respectively. 7% of patients used antiplatelet drugs. 26.7% of the patients used heart rate control drugs. 10.3% of the patients experienced thromboembolic events, and 0.8% of the patients experienced bleeding events. 93.0% of the patients were at high risk of thromboembolism, and 24.7% of the patients were at high risk of bleeding. Compared with the baseline, there were significant statistical differences (P < 0.001) in disease awareness, awareness of the hazards of AF, use of anticoagulant drugs and heart rate control drugs, and control of risk factors among NVAF patients after standardized community management. Moreover, with the extension of management time, there was a linear increase in the awareness of NVAF, awareness of the hazards of AF, utilization rate of anticoagulant drugs, utilization rate of heart rate control drugs, blood pressure, blood glucose, and BMI compliance rate (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Currently, the awareness, treatment, and control of risk factors for AF in elderly NVAF patients in Shanghai community are not satisfactory. Standardized community management helps to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and control of risk factors in AF.