• I Romera Fernández, R de Dios del Valle, A García de Francisco, Y González Rubio, C Lenza Alonso, and M A Salinero Fort.
• Médicos de familia, Atención Primaria Area 4, Instituto Madrileño de la Salud, Madrid, España.
• Aten Primaria. 2004 Mar 15; 33 (4): 188192188-92.

ObjectiveTo find just how suitable thromboembolism prophylaxis (TEP) is in a group of patients with chronic auricular fibrillation belonging to the primary care environment.DesignCross-sectional and descriptive multi-centre study.SettingThe study was performed at 3 urban primary care centres in Madrid.ParticipantsAll the patients recorded up to April 2001 with the diagnosis of chronic auricular fibrillation (n=274) were included. Patients with no clinical history or who had a valve prosthesis were excluded.Main MeasurementsDemographic variables, existence of factors of risk of embolism, presence of counter-indications for oral anti-coagulants, and the kind of thromboembolic prophylaxis taken were collected.ResultsA total of 274 patients were evaluated. Average age was 75 (SD, 9) and 52% were women. 82% of patients had at least one factor of risk of thromboembolism. The most commonly used kind of TEP was oral anti-coagulants. 45% of patients did not receive suitable TEP. 13.5% of patients at risk of embolism and who had no kind of TEP were found.ConclusionsThere is a high percentage of patients with chronic auricular fibrillation and a high risk of embolism, who do not receive adequate TEP, in the absence of counter-indications to taking oral anticoagulants. There is great scope for improvement, which is within professionals' possibilities.

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