AF Association survey shows impact of AF diagnosis on patients

AF Aware Week – 23-29 November 2015

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Aware Week aims to raise awareness of an important, yet not well understood heart rhythm disturbance. Taking place from the 23-29 November AF Aware Week increases awareness and understanding of AF amongst the general public. With AF effecting over a million people in the UK it is important that understanding of this condition is improved.

To support AF awareness the AF Association has published the results of a survey that shows the majority of patients find being diagnosed with AF incredibly frightening and that most patients are not diagnosed as a result of routine checks. Worryingly the survey also showed that most patients who responded only received their diagnosis after experiencing symptoms and attending their GP or A&E. Under guidelines from NICE patients should receive manual pulse checks that will identify AF. It is clear from our survey results that very few patients that have been diagnosed with AF received their diagnosis this way.

Key Survey findings:

• Of the 297 people who responded over 200 received their diagnosis after experiencing symptoms or attending A&E
• The vast majority of patients experienced shortness of breath and palpitations as a result of AF
• The majority of patients described themselves as being ‘frightened and unsure of the future’ when they received their diagnosis
• Almost 52% of people diagnosed with AF are under 60

Trudie Lobban MBE, Founder and CEO of the AF Association said:

It’s clear from our survey results that patients are not receiving the relevant checks when attending their GP. The majority of people we heard from only received diagnosis when they experienced symptoms and went to the GP or to A&E.

One in four people will develop AF in their lifetime, with up to a third of people with AF displaying no symptoms. Having AF increases your risk of suffering an AF-related stroke five-fold; so this is just one of the reasons that early AF detection is vital. It is clear that patients are not routinely receiving manual pulse checks and as a result are going undiagnosed. This is why we are aiming to raise awareness of the condition and promote correct treatment and diagnosis.

Jamie Waterall, National lead for NHS Health Check, Public Health England, said:

If untreated, AF significantly increases your chances of having a stroke. The NHS Health Check, which includes a simple pulse rhythm test which can help detect AF, presents an opportunity for men and women aged 40-74 in England to assess their cardiovascular health. We would encourage everyone to take up their appointment when invited.