Key result
AF-related ischemic strokes frequently reveal missed treatment opportunities, with ~28% newly diagnosed after the event.
Why the study?
Atrial fibrillation is an important cause of cardioembolic stroke, and its prevalence has increased with population aging, necessitating evaluation of its incidence and treatment patterns.
Observational (n=3,303)
A significant proportion of AF-related ischemic strokes occur in patients with undiagnosed or undertreated atrial fibrillation, highlighting a critical gap in stroke prevention.
Many AF-related strokes involve undiagnosed or untreated patients; hypothesis-generating for enhanced pre-stroke screening and anticoagulation.
BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important cause of cardioembolic stroke, and population aging has increased its prevalence. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence of cardioembolic stroke caused by AF in the city of Joinville, Brazil, as well as previous diagnoses and use of medication. METHODS: Between 2017 and 2020 we extracted data from the population-based Joinville Stroke Registry. Demographic characteristics, diagnosis of AF, and patterns of medication use were collected, and the Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) system was used to classify the etiology. RESULTS: There were 3,303 cases of ischemic stroke, 593 of which were cardioembolic, and 360 had AF. Of the patients with AF, 258 (71.6%) had a previous diagnosis of the disease, and 102 (28.3%) were newly diagnosed after the stroke. Among patients with a previously-diagnosed AF, 170 (47.2%) were using anticoagulants, and 88 (24.4%) were using other medications. CONCLUSION: During the analyzed period, ischemic stroke caused by AF was a significant burden on the population of Joinville, and a considerable number of patients had undiagnosed or untreated AF.
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Diegolli et al. (2023) conducted an observational in Ischemic stroke and Atrial Fibrillation (n=3,303). Atrial fibrillation was evaluated on Incidence of cardioembolic stroke caused by atrial fibrillation. Among 3,303 ischemic stroke cases, 360 were related to atrial fibrillation, of which 28.3% were newly diagnosed post-stroke and only 47.2% were previously treated with anticoagulants.
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