The “Out of Sync: The State of Afib in America” survey compared the perspectives of patients who have been diagnosed with afib, and the physicians and nurses who treat afib patients. The results revealed a clear disconnect between medical professionals and patients about their understanding of afib risks.
According to the survey:
- Less than half of afib patients recognize atrial fibrillation’s serious health consequences, particularly their increased risk of stroke and heart failure. While almost all physicians (97 percent) think their afib patients are at severe/moderate risk of stroke, less than half (45 percent) of afib patients think they are at risk.
- While more than 90 percent of doctors and nurses say they often or always discuss stroke prevention with their afib patients, less than half of patients (43 percent) say they recall this information.
There is clearly a disconnect between what healthcare professionals think they are telling their afib patients and what afib patients are actually hearing them say.
Other important survey findings include:
- On average, there is a gap of 1.7 years between patients reporting having atrial fibrillation symptoms and atrial fibrillation diagnosis, potentially leaving afib patients more vulnerable to the consequences of the disease.
- While 58 percent of patients said they sought additional information about afib, less than half (47 percent) of patients keep up with the latest advancements in atrial fibrillation treatment.
To learn more about survey findings, see: “Out of Sync: The State of Afib in America”: National survey reveals that patients and healthcare professionals are “Out of Sync”
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