Point-of-care screening for atrial fibrillation (A-fib) using a new generation of handheld electrocardiogram (ECG) devices increased the rate of diagnosis in patients 85 and older, but failed to show similar results in those 65 and older, a study by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has found. Though ineffective for detecting A-fib in all patients, the compact, commercially available devices are feasible for screening the vast majority of patients during primary care physician office visits, the team reported in a paper published in Circulation.
Handheld devices for A-fib screening may be most effective in oldest adults during primary care visits
Point-of-care screening for atrial fibrillation (A-fib) using a new generation of handheld electrocardiogram (ECG) devices increased the rate of diagnosis in patients 85 and older, but failed to show similar results in those 65 and older, a study by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has found. Though ineffective for detecting A-fib in all patients, the compact, commercially available devices are feasible for screening the vast majority of patients during primary care physician office visits, the team reported in a paper published in Circulation.