Reliability of pulse palpation in the detection of atrial fibrillation in an elderly population.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Atrial fibrillation (AF) may first present as an ischemic stroke. Pulse palpation is a potential screening method for asymptomatic AF. We aimed to assess the reliability of pulse palpation by the elderly in detecting AF.

Materials and methods

After brief information and training session conducted by a nurse, 173 subjects aged ≥75 years were instructed to palpate their pulse regularly for a month. After this, their ability to distinguish sinus rhythm (SR), SR with premature ventricular contractions (PVC) and AF by pulse palpation was assessed using an anatomic human arm model programmable with various rhythms. A control group of 57 healthcare professionals received the same information but not the training. Subjects unable to find the pulse were excluded (25 (14.5%) o

SUBMITTER: Jaakkola J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5592357 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature