REVIEW  ASYMPTOMATIC AF: NEW TOOLS FOR DETECTION AND SCREENING OF GENERAL POPULATION 

Minerva Cardiology and Angiology 2022 October;70(5):583-93

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-5683.22.05894-X

Copyright © 2022 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Prevalence of asymptomatic atrial fibrillation among multimorbid elderly patients: diagnostic implications

Riccardo VIO ¹ ✉, Andrea S. GIORDANI ², Ahmed ALTURKI ³, Viktor ČULIć ^{4, 5}, Raffaele VITALE ¹, Paolo CHINA ¹, Sakis THEMISTOCLAKIS ¹, Emilio VANOLI ⁶, Riccardo PROIETTI ⁶

¹ Unit of Cardiology, Department of Cardiothoracic, Vascular Medicine & Intensive Care, Dell’Angelo Hospital, Mestre, Venice, Italy; ² Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Science and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; ³ Division of Cardiology, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada; ⁴ University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia; ⁵ Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Center Split, Split, Croatia; ⁶ Sacra Famiglia Fatebenefratelli Hospital, Erba, Como, Italy

Advancing age of the global population is one of the main reasons for the uprising trend in atrial fibrillation (AF) prevalence worldwide leading to a proper “AF epidemic”. Strictly related to the increasing prevalence of AF in the elderly is the relevant burden of cardiac end extra-cardiac comorbidities that these patients show. Patients with AF are frequently asymptomatic (i.e., asymptomatic or silent AF) and thus the arrhythmia is generally underdiagnosed. Detainment of proper treatment in elderly and comorbid patients may potentially result in significant morbidity and mortality. Therefore, in recent years, several screening strategies (systematic vs opportunistic screening) for asymptomatic AF have been developed and early diagnosis of AF is an important treatment goal that can improve prognosis. This review will focus on the prevalence of asymptomatic AF in the elderly, frequently associated comorbidities, screening strategies, and implications for a correct AF diagnosis.

KEY WORDS: Atrial fibrillation; Aged; Multimorbidity; Polypharmacy, Diagnosis