Background: Anticoagulants are effective in preventing stroke in those with atrial fibrillation, but most patients remain untreated.
Aim: To investigate the prevalence of disability, cognitive impairment, and problems with compliance in a representative sample of the elderly with atrial fibrillation, and to determine whether they would want treatment and how they would like services to be arranged.
Method: In a survey of a random sample of 4843 elderly subjects, those with atrial fibrillation were identified using electrocardiograms. Views on treatment were obtained using a structured interview. Disability was assessed using the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys Disability Scale and cognitive status using the Mini Mental State Examination. General practitioners were asked, via questionnaire, for their views on each subject's compliance.
Results: Two hundred and seven elderly people with atrial fibrillation were identified. Almost all subjects expressed a willingness to undertake treatment to prevent stroke and preferred blood testing performed outside of hospital. Disability (82.7%), cognitive impairment (25.7%), and problems with compliance (25.0%) were common, but the prevalence of these difficulties was not substantially different from the general elderly population, and in many cases they could be overcome (e.g. only 10% of subjects had problems with compliance and no-one who could help them to comply).
Conclusions: Most elderly people with atrial fibrillation would accept treatment to prevent stroke. Disability, cognitive impairment, and problems with compliance may make it difficult to treat this patient group. An increase in the use of anticoagulants should be accompanied by the development of services appropriate to this frail population.