Background
stroke, cardiac arrhythmia
STROKE, ATRIAL FIBRILLATION (AF), CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and is frequently identified and treated by primary care practitioners (PCPs) [Methods to screen for AF include pulse palpation, standard ECGs, wearable ECG patch monitors, and newer techniques such as wrist-worn wearable technologies and handheld ECGs [Guidelines differ with regard to screening for AF. The European Society of Cardiology recommend opportunistic screening for AF by pulse palpation or ECG in patients ≥ 65 years of age and consideration of systematic ECG screening in individuals age ≥ 75 years or those at high risk of stroke [To address this uncertainty, the VITAL-AF trial assessed the feasibility and efficacy of population-based screening for AF in older patients using a 30-s handheld single-lead ECG during routine primary care visits. The primary outcomes of the trial have been previously published [