[Prevalence of atrial fibrillation and relationed factors in a population in the centre Madrid]. / Prevalencia de fibrilación auricular y factores relacionados en una población del centro de Madrid.

INTRODUCTION: Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia on clinical practice and an important risk factor for ictus. The aim of this study was to know the prevalence of this arrythmia in a central district of Madrid. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was done analysing medical records of 13,945 patients belonging to a primary care centre of Madrid. Time of study: recruitment of data from September 2000 to May 2001; analysis of data: from September 2001 to May 2002. RESULTS: We obtained a total of 425 atrial fibrillations, 348 non-valvular and 77 valvular. Global prevalence of atrial fibrillation in patients over 40 years in our area was 2.52%. (2.47% male, 2.55% female). Risk factors for atrial fibrillation more frequently found in non-valvular were high blood pressure (HBP), diabetes, ischaemic heart disease and left ventricular dysfunction. Among valvulars we found HBP, left atrial size over 45 mm and left ventricular dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Atrial fibrillation shows a prevalence and distribution in the studied area similar to that found in other European countries.

Prevalencia de fibrilación auricular y factores relacionados en una población del centro de Madrid / Prevalence of atrial fibrillation and relationed factors in a population in the centre Madrid

Introducción: La fibrilación auricular es la arritmia más frecuente en la práctica clínica y un importante factor de riesgo para ictus. El objetivo de nuestro estudio es conocer su prevalencia en un distrito central de Madrid. Material y métodos: Se trata de un estudio retrospectivo, analizando historias clínicas procedentes de 13.945 pacientes del centro de atención primaria. A partir de éstas, se cumplimentó un protocolo clínico-epidemiológico. Tiempo de recogida de los datos: de septiembre de 2000 a mayo de 2001; tiempo de análisis: de septiembre de 2001 a mayo de 2002. Resultados: Se obtuvieron un total de 425 fibrilaciones auriculares, 348 no valvulares y 77 valvulares. La prevalencia global de fibrilación auricular en pacientes mayores de 40 años fue de 2,52 por ciento. Por sexos, fue de 2,47 por ciento en varones y 2,55 por ciento en mujeres. Los factores de riesgo más frecuentemente asociados a fibrilación auricular no valvular fueron la HTA, diabetes, cardiopatía isquémica y disfunción ventricular. En la valvular la HTA, el crecimiento auricular mayor de 45 mm y la disfunción ventricular. Conclusiones: La fibrilación auricular presenta en la zona estudiada una prevalencia y distribución similar a la encontrada en otros países europeos (AU)

[The usefulness of intravascular echography during the percutaneous dilatation of aortic coarctation]. / Utilidad de la ecografía intravascular durante la dilatación percutánea de la coartación aórtica.

An intravascular ultrasound study was performed in a patient, to assess the anatomy of aortic coarctation and the results obtained after percutaneous dilation with a balloon catheter. Intravascular ultrasound imaging provides important additional information, not obtainable with other diagnostic procedures, regarding aortic wall structure and thickness. After balloon dilation, aortic disruption was clearly observed, accounting, together with the stretching of the outer layers of the aortic wall, for the increase in aortic luminal area. Intravascular ultrasound permitted also the accurate assessment of the improvement obtained. Intravascular imaging was clearly superior not only to conventional angiography, but also to transesophageal echocardiography in detecting the mechanism of dilation. We conclude that ultravascular ultrasound, with the additional information that it provides, may help in the selection of patients for percutaneous dilation of the coarctation as well as contributing to the identification of the mechanism of dilation.