Atrial fibrillation detection with long-term continuous Holter ECG recording in patients with high cardiovascular risk and clinical palpitations: the prospective after study.

AIM: New technologic tools for continuous ECG monitoring have been developed to detect and treat atrial fibrillation (AF) in specific populations with high cardiovascular risk. We evaluated the prevalence and the management of AF diagnosed in patients with high cardiovascular risk and non-documented clinical palpitation undergoing systematic 14-day continuous ECG-Holter monitoring. METHODS: Patients were prospectively enrolled from December 2019 to December 2021 in this multicentre study, sponsored by the French National College of Cardiology. Patients met the following criteria: CHA2DS2VASc score ≥ 2 in males and ≥ 3 in females and clinical palpitations without previously documented arrhythmia. Enrolled patients underwent a continuous 14-day Holter-ECG monitoring for arrhythmia detection. RESULTS: Among the 336 included patients, 39% were male, 75% were greater than 65 years of age and 46.5% had suffered a prior stroke. AF was detected in 14% of patients, among which 23.4% were detected in the first 24 h of monitoring. Finally, age ≥ 65 years (p = 0.037) was significantly associated with AF, as well as male gender (p = 0.023) and a lower rate of antiplatelet therapy (p = 0.018). Patients with diagnosed AF had a prescription of anticoagulation therapy in 90%. Antiarrhythmic drugs were administered in 90% of AF patients and 13% underwent AF ablation. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic AF screening of patients with palpitations and high cardiovascular risk resulted in a diagnostic yield of AF in 14% of the population with a 14-day continuous ECG-Holter monitor. This strategy resulted in the prescription of anticoagulation and antiarrhythmic therapy in 90% of the AF detected population.

A comparison of cardiovascular risk factors among Indo-Asian and caucasian patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Birmingham, England.

Indo-Asians in the UK are at an increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD); this may be a reflection of their cardiovascular risk factor profile as well as of a more sedentary lifestyle. We hypothesised that Indo-Asians in Malaysia and the UK may exhibit a similar cardiovascular risk factor and physical activity profile, which would be more adverse compared with caucasians. We studied 70 consecutive Indo-Asian patients admitted to hospitals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (n=42; 35 males; mean age 60.6 years, SD 11.8); and Birmingham, England (n=28; 20 males; mean age 60.8 years, SD 12.9). Both groups of Indo-Asian patients were compared with 20 caucasian patients (13 males; mean age 62.7 years, SD 9.4) admitted with myocardial infarction from Birmingham. There was a higher prevalence of diabetes among Indo-Asians in both countries than among caucasians (p=0.0225). By contrast, caucasians had a higher prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia (p=0.0113), peripheral vascular disease (p=0.0008), regular alcohol consumption (p<0.0001) and family history of CAD (p=0.0041). There were no significant differences in mean age, body mass index or blood pressures. There was a significantly lower leisure activity score (p=0.001) and total physical activity score (p=0.003) among Indo-Asians in both countries than among caucasians. This survey has demonstrated differences in cardiovascular risk factors among Indo-Asian and caucasian patients. The high prevalence of diabetes, as well as the lower physical activity and sedentary lifestyles among Indo-Asians, in both Malaysia and the UK, may in part contribute to the high incidence of CAD in this ethnic group.