Bringing order to chaos: the case for integrated management of atrial fibrillation

Heartbeat: Healthcare approaches to reducing adverse outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation

“…In an editorial, Stewart2 stresses the contribution of AF to the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease given that the “population prevalence ranges from 2.3%–3.4% with a marked gradient in cases according to age. It is on this basis that 10%–20% of individuals aged >65 years develop AF with a lifetime risk of one in four.” He also points out that despite the theoretical benefits of an integrated care approach for AF patients, there is little objective data to support its widespread application at this time (figure 2).…”