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Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia associated with an increased risk of stroke, which can be effectively reduced by prophylaxis initiation and integrated care to reduce cardiovascular risk and AF-related complications. Screening for AF has the potential to improve long-term clinical outcomes through timely AF detection in asymptomatic patients. With the central role of primary care in most European healthcare systems in terms of disease detection, treatment, as well as record keeping, primary care is ideally situated as a setting for AF screening efforts. In this review, we provide an overview of evidence relating to AF screening in primary care. We discuss current practices of AF detection and screening, evidence from AF screening trials conducted in primary care settings, stakeholder views on barriers and facilitators for AF screening in primary care, and important aspects that will likely shape routine primary care AF detection as well as AF screening efforts. Finally, we present a potential outline for a primary care–centred AF screening trial coupled to integrated AF care that could further improve the benefit of AF screening.

AbstractBackgroundIt is thought that ChatGPT, an advanced language model developed by OpenAI, may in the future serve as an AI-assisted decision support tool in medicine.ObjectiveTo evaluate the accuracy of ChatGPT’s recommendations on medical questions related to common cardiac symptoms or conditions.MethodsWe tested ChatGPT’s ability to address medical questions in two ways. First, we assessed its accuracy in correctly answering cardiovascular trivia questions (n = 50), based on quizzes for medical professionals. Second, we entered 20 clinical case vignettes on the ChatGPT platform and evaluated its accuracy compared to expert opinion and clinical course. Lastly, we compared the latest research version (v3.5; 27 September 2023) with a prior version (v3.5; 30 January 2023) to evaluate improvement over time.ResultsWe found that ChatGPT latest version correctly answered 92% of the trivia questions, with slight variation in accuracy in the domains coronary artery disease (100%), pulmonary and venous thrombotic embolism (100%), atrial fibrillation (90%), heart failure (90%) and cardiovascular risk management (80%). In the 20 case vignettes, ChatGPT’s response matched in 17 (85%) of the cases with the actual advice given. Straightforward patient-to-physician questions were all answered correctly (10/10). In more complex cases, where physicians (general practitioners) asked other physicians (cardiologists) for assistance or decision support, ChatGPT was correct in 70% of cases, and otherwise provided incomplete, inconclusive, or inappropriate recommendations when compared with expert consultation. ChatGPT showed significant improvement over time; as the January version correctly answered 74% (vs 92%) of trivia questions (p = 0.031), and correctly answered a mere 50% of complex cases.ConclusionsOur study suggests that ChatGPT has potential as an AI-assisted decision support tool in medicine, particularly for straightforward, low-complex medical questions, but further research is needed to fully evaluate its potential.

Introduction: Current European Stroke Organisation (ESO) guidelines recommend >48 h of continuous electrocardiographic monitoring for atrial fibrillation (AF) in all patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) with undetermined origin. We assessed the yield of the guideline-recommended monitoring for AF, as well as of extending monitoring up to 14 days.Patients and methods: We included consecutive patients with stroke/TIA without AF in an academic hospital in The Netherlands. We reported AF incidence and number needed to screen (NNS) in the overall sample after 48 h and 14 days of Holter monitoring.Results: Among 379 patients with median age 63 years (IQR 55–73), 58% male, Holter monitoring detected 10 cases of incident AF during a median of 13 (IQR 12–14) days of monitoring. Seven AF cases were detected within the first 48 hours (incidence 1.85%, 95% CI 0.74–3.81; NNS 54), and three additional AF cases were recorded among the 362 patients with >48 h of monitoring and without AF ⩽ 48 h (incidence 0.83%, 95% CI: 0.17–2.42; NNS 121). All AF cases were detected within the first 7 days of monitoring. Our sample was subject to sampling bias favoring inclusion of participants with low AF risk.Discussion: Strengths of this work were the broad inclusion criteria as recommended by ESO guidelines, and high Holter adherence among participants. The analysis was limited by inclusion of lower-risk cases and a relatively small sample size.Conclusion: In low-risk patients with recent stroke or TIA, ESO guideline-recommended screening for AF resulted in a low AF yield, with limited additional value of monitoring up to 14 days. Our results underline the need for a personalized approach in determining a patient’s optimum duration for post-stroke non-invasive ambulatory monitoring.

While chest pain is a common symptom, its prevalence among women and men across ethnic groups is unknown. Moreover, how chest pain is associated with general practitioner (GP) and cardiologist visits in women and men across ethnic groups, remains to be determined.

AbstractBackground and purposeHypertension is common in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and carries an additional risk for complications, most notably stroke and bleeding. We assessed the history of hypertension, level of blood pressure control, and an interaction with the choice of oral anticoagulants on clinical outcomesMethodsWe performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that randomised patients to novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) or vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and reported outcomes stratified by presence of hypertension. Collected outcomes were: ischaemic stroke or systemic embolism (SE), haemorrhagic stroke, intracranial haemorrhage and major bleeding. Log adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and corresponding standard error were calculated, and HRs were compared using Mantel-Haenszel random effects. Quality of the evidence was assessed with Cochrane risk of bias tool.ResultsFive high-quality studies were eligible, including 71.527 participants who received NOACs (apixaban, dabigatran, edoxaban, rivaroxaban) or VKAs, with median follow-up of 1.8–2.8 years. Compared with patients without hypertension, those with hypertension had higher adjusted risk for ischaemic stroke/SE (HR: 1.25, 95%-CI:1.09, 1.43) and haemorrhagic stroke (HR:1.98, 1.24–3.16). On a continuous scale, the risk of ischaemic stroke/SE increased 6–7% per 10 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure. No interactions were found between the efficacy or safety of NOACs versus VKAs in the presence or absence of hypertension. In both groups, the use of NOACs led to a lower risk of ischaemic stroke/SE, haemorrhagic stroke and intracranial haemorrhage compared with patients that used VKAs.ConclusionsAdequate blood pressure management is vital to optimally reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. The benefits of NOACs over VKAs, also apply to patients with elevated blood pressure.

IMPORTANCE: Antithrombotic treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) presents a balancing act with regard to bleeding and ischemic risks. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of 4 antithrombotic regimens by conducting an up-to-date network meta-analysis and to identify the optimal treatment for patients with AF undergoing PCI. DATA SOURCES: Online computerized database (MEDLINE). STUDY SELECTION: Five randomized studies were included (N = 11 542; WOEST, PIONEER AF-PCI, RE-DUAL PCI, AUGUSTUS, ENTRUST-AF PCI). DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used in this network meta-analysis, in which bayesian random-effects models were applied. The data were analyzed from September 9 to 29, 2019. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary safety outcome was thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) major bleeding and the primary efficacy outcome was trial-defined major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). RESULTS: The total number of participants included in the study was 11 532. The mean age of the participants ranged from 70 to 72 years, 69% to 83% were male, 20% to 26% were female, and the participants were predominantly white (>90%). Compared with vitamin K antagonists (VKA) plus dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) (reference), the odds ratios (ORs) (95% credible intervals) for TIMI major bleeding were 0.57 (0.31-1.00) for VKA plus P2Y12 inhibitor, 0.69 (0.40-1.16) for non-VKA oral anticoagulant (NOAC) plus DAPT, and 0.52 (0.35-0.79) for NOAC plus P2Y12 inhibitor. For MACE, using VKA plus DAPT as reference, the ORs (95% credible intervals) were 0.97 (0.64-1.42) for VKA plus P2Y12 inhibitor, 0.95 (0.64-1.39) for NOAC plus DAPT, and 1.03 (0.77-1.38) for NOAC plus P2Y12 inhibitor. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The findings of this study suggest that an antithrombotic regimen of VKA plus DAPT should generally be avoided, because regimens in which aspirin is discontinued may lead to lower bleeding risk and no difference in antithrombotic effectiveness. The use of a NOAC plus a P2Y12 inhibitor without aspirin may be the most favorable treatment option and the preferred antithrombotic regimen for most patients with AF undergoing PCI.

IMPORTANCE: The antithrombotic treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and coronary artery disease, in particular with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and/or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), poses a significant treatment dilemma in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: To study the safety and efficacy of different antithrombotic regimens using a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in this population. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE, EBSCO, and Cochrane databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials comparing antithrombotic regimens. STUDY SELECTION: Four randomized studies were included (n = 10 026; WOEST, PIONEER AF-PCI, RE-DUAL PCI, and AUGUSTUS). DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were used in this systematic review and network meta-analysis between 4 regimens using a Bayesian random-effects model. A pre hoc statistical analysis plan was written, and the review protocol was registered at PROSPERO. Data were analyzed between November 2018 and February 2019. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary safety outcome was Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) major bleeding; secondary safety outcomes were combined TIMI major and minor bleeding, trial-defined primary bleeding events, intracranial hemorrhage, and hospitalization. The primary efficacy outcome was trial-defined major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE); secondary efficacy outcomes were individual components of MACE. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of ACS varied from 28% to 61%. The mean age ranged from 70 to 72 years; 20% to 29% of the trial population were women; and most patients were at high risk for thromboembolic and bleeding events. Compared with a regimen of vitamin K antagonist (VKA) plus dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT; P2Y12 inhibitor plus aspirin), the odds ratios (ORs) for TIMI major bleeding were 0.58 (95% CI, 0.31-1.08) for VKA plus P2Y12 inhibitor, 0.49 (95% CI, 0.30-0.82) for non-VKA oral anticoagulant (NOAC) plus P2Y12 inhibitor, and 0.70 (95% CI, 0.38-1.23) for NOAC plus DAPT. Compared with VKA plus DAPT, the ORs for MACE were 0.96 (95% CI, 0.60-1.46) for VKA plus P2Y12 inhibitor, 1.02 (95% CI, 0.71-1.47) for NOAC plus P2Y12 inhibitor, and 0.94 (95% CI, 0.60-1.45) for NOAC plus DAPT. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: A regimen of NOACs plus P2Y12 inhibitor was associated with less bleeding compared with VKAs plus DAPT. Strategies omitting aspirin caused less bleeding, including intracranial bleeding, without significant difference in MACE, compared with strategies including aspirin. Our results support the use of NOAC plus P2Y12 inhibitor as the preferred regimen post–percutaneous coronary intervention for these high-risk patients with AF. A regimen of VKA plus DAPT should generally be avoided.

Epidemiological studies suggest sex differences in the prevalence and characteristics of unrecognized and recognized myocardial infarction (uMI, rMI). Despite increasingly diverse populations, observations are limited in multiethnic contexts. Gaining better understanding may inform policy makers and healthcare professionals on populations at risk of uMI who could benefit from preventive measures.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, including the restrictive measures taken to reduce the spread of the virus, negatively affected people's health behavior. We explored whether the pandemic also had an effect on metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women and men. We conducted a natural experiment, using data from 6962 participants without CVD at baseline (2011–2015) of six ethnic groups of the HELIUS study in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. We studied whether participants whose follow-up measurements were taken within the 11 months before the pandemic (control group) differed from those whose measurements were taken taken within 6 months after the first lockdown (exposed group). Using sex-stratified linear regressions with inverse probability weighting, we compared changes in baseline- and follow-up data between the control and exposed group in six metabolic risk factors: systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), total cholesterol (TC), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Next, we explored the mediating effect of changes in body-mass index (BMI), alcohol, smoking, depressive symptoms and negative life events at follow-up. We observed less favorable changes in SBP (+1.12mmHg for women, +1.38mmHg for men), DBP (+0.85mmHg, +0.80mmHg) and FPG (only in women, +0.12 mmol/L) over time in the exposed group relative to the control group. Conversely, changes in HbA1c (−0.65 mmol/mol, −0.84 mmol/mol) and eGFR (+1.06 mL/min, +1.04 mL/min) were more favorable in the exposed compared to the control group, respectively. Changes in SBP, DBP, and FPG were partially mediated by changes in behavioral factors, in particular BMI and alcohol consumption. Concluding, the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular behavioral changes associated with restrictive lockdown measures, may have negatively affected several CVD risk factors, in both women and men.

Background: Vorapaxar is effective in the prevention of secondary atherothrombotic events, although the efficacy/safety balance appears less favorable in the treatment of patients with non-ST-segment elevation (NSTE) acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We hypothesized that patients with NSTE ACS already receiving thienopyridine prior to the ACS event may show differential efficacy/safety effects with vorapaxar vs. placebo added to their standard care.Methods: We studied 12,944 patients from the Thrombin Receptor Antagonist for Clinical Event Reduction in Acute Coronary Syndrome (TRACER) trial with respect to thienopyridine use before admission for the index NSTE ACS event. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, rehospitalization for ischemia, and urgent revascularization. The key secondary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Safety endpoints were bleeding complications.Results: Only 1513 patients (11.7%) were receiving thienopyridine before admission for the index NSTE ACS event. In these patients, Global Use of Strategies to Open Occluded Coronary Arteries (GUSTO) moderate/severe bleeding occurred in 5.7% treated with vorapaxar and 5.3% treated with a placebo (hazards ratio (HR) 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.70–1.71); in thienopyridine-naïve patients, the rates were 5.7% and 4.1%, respectively (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.11–1.57; Pint=0.45). GUSTO severe bleeding in the prior thienopyridine group occurred in 0.5% of patients treated with vorapaxar and 1.3% of patients treated with placebo (HR 0.34, 95% CI 0.09–1.30); in thienopyridine-naïve patients, the rates were 2.0% and 1.0%, respectively (HR 1.89, 95% CI 1.36–2.62; Pint=0.01). No interaction was observed between vorapaxar efficacy and prior thienopyridine use on the primary (adjusted Pint=0.53) or key secondary endpoints (Pint=0.61).Conclusions: TRACER was largely conducted in thienopyridine-naïve patients with unknown tolerance to multiple antiplatelet treatments. Patients receiving thienopyridine before the index event may have had an attenuated increase in bleeding when adding vorapaxar, whereas concomitantly adding vorapaxar and thienopyridine in naïve patients may have uncovered a latent susceptibility to bleeding.

The use of 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is common in routine primary care, however it can be difficult for less experienced ECG readers to adequately interpret the ECG.

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IMPORTANCE: In vitro and animal model data suggest that intraoperative preservation solutions may influence endothelial function and vein graft failure (VGF) after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Clinical studies to validate these findings are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of vein graft preservation solutions on VGF and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing CABG surgery. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Data from the Project of Ex-Vivo Vein Graft Engineering via Transfection IV (PREVENT IV) study, a phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that enrolled 3014 patients at 107 US sites from August 1, 2002, through October 22, 2003, were used. Eligibility criteria for the trial included CABG surgery for coronary artery disease with at least 2 planned vein grafts. INTERVENTIONS: Preservation of vein grafts in saline, blood, or buffered saline solutions. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: One-year angiographic VGF and 5-year rates of death, myocardial infarction, and subsequent revascularization. RESULTS: Most patients had grafts preserved in saline (1339 [44.4%]), followed by blood (971 [32.2%]) and buffered saline (507 [16.8%]). Baseline characteristics were similar among groups. One-year VGF rates were much lower in the buffered saline group than in the saline group (patient-level odds ratio [OR], 0.59 [95% CI, 0.45-0.78; P < .001]; graft-level OR, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.49-0.79; P < .001]) or the blood group (patient-level OR, 0.62 [95% CI, 0.46-0.83; P = .001]; graft-level OR, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.48-0.81; P < .001]). Use of buffered saline solution also tended to be associated with a lower 5-year risk for death, myocardial infarction, or subsequent revascularization compared with saline (hazard ratio, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.64-1.02; P = .08]) and blood (0.81 [0.63-1.03; P = .09]) solutions. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Patients undergoing CABG whose vein grafts were preserved in a buffered saline solution had lower VGF rates and trends toward better long-term clinical outcomes compared with patients whose grafts were preserved in saline- or blood-based solutions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00042081