Conventional treatment
arrhythmia
CONCOMITANT DISEASE, ARRHYTHMIA
The two recruiting outpatient clinics had similar standard care programs for AF patients. According to existing guidelines, the intervention group and the control group both received standard medical treatment for patients with AF [The standard care and treatment program comprised at least one cardiologist consultation followed by at least one nurse consultation during which disease-specific information on AF was disseminated. The communication effort focused on informing the patient of the medication and treatment plans. All patients received information about anticoagulation treatment, other medical treatment of the arrhythmia and any relevant concomitant diseases, scheduled cardioversion and invasive catheter treatment, if needed. Patients were also offered attendance at the standard information program comprising a two-hour disease-specific group session for 8–10 AF patients during which an AF-specialised cardiology nurse informed about common elements of AF and treatments developed based on the ESC guidelines, and answered patients’ questions. The two-hour session focused on AF and its treatment.