Farmacéuticos Comunitarios. 2019 Dec 30; 11(4):5-20 DOI: 10.5672/FC.2173-9218.(2019/Vol11).004.02

Checking for an irregular pulse in community pharmacies in Spain. “Results of the project Know your pulse 2016 and 2017”

Mera Gallego I1, Fornos Pérez JA2, Tous Trepat S3, Perseguer Torregrosa Z4, Escudero Martínez I5, Mora Ortíz de Apodaca P6, Iracheta Todó M7, Penín Álvarez O8, Mera Gallego R9, Andrés Rodríguez NF10
1. Farmacéutica comunitaria en Maella (Zaragoza). Graduada en Nutrición Humana y Dietética. Grupo Berbés de Investigación y Docencia en Atención Farmacéutica. Miembro del grupo de HTA y RV de SEFAC. 2. Doctor en farmacia. Farmacéutico comunitario en Cangas do Morrazo (Pontevedra). Grupo Berbés de Investigación y Docencia en Atención Farmacéutica. Miembro del grupo de HTA y RV de SEFAC. 3. Farmacéutico comunitario en Barcelona. Miembro del grupo de HTA y RV de SEFAC. 4. Doctora en farmacia. Farmacéutica comunitaria en Petrer (Alicante). Miembro del grupo de HTA y RV de SEFAC. 5. Farmacéutica comunitaria en Zaragoza. Miembro del grupo de HTA y RV de SEFAC. 6. Farmacéutico comunitario de Guardamar del Segura (Alicante). 6. Farmacéutico comunitario de Guardamar del Segura (Alicante). 7. Farmacéutica comunitaria de Barcelona. Miembro del grupo de HTA y RV de SEFAC. 8. Farmacéutico comunitario de Celanova (Ourense). Miembro del grupo de HTA y RV de SEFAC. 9. Farmacéutica comunitaria en Vigo (Pontevedra). Grupo Berbés de Investigación y Docencia en Atención Farmacéutica. Miembro del grupo de HTA y RV de SEFAC. 10. Doctor en farmacia. Farmacéutico comunitario en Vigo (Pontevedra). Grupo Berbés de Investigación y Docencia en Atención Farmacéutica.
Mera I, Fornos JA, Tous S, Perseguer Z, Escudero I, Mora P, Iracheta M, Penín O, Mera R, Andrés NF. Determinación de pulso irregular en farmacias comunitarias españolas. “Resultados del proyecto ‘Know your pulse’ 2016 y 2017”. Farmacéuticos Comunitarios. 2019 Dec 30; 11(4):5-20 DOI: 10.5672/FC.2173-9218.(2019/Vol11).004.02
Abstract : 

Aims: To assess the effectiveness of screening for an irregular pulse by community pharmacists piloting a method and procedure for an irregular pulse detection campaign in community pharmacies in Spain.

Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted by SEFAC partner community pharmacists from November 24–29, 2016, and June 5–11, 2017. Inclusion criteria: users ≥ 40 years, without AF or with AF but not on anticoagulant treatment. Main variables: pulse (beats/minute) and CHA2DS2 VASc.

Results: There were 789 pulse measurements taken in both campaigns, from which it was found that 41 (5.2%) participants had an irregular pulse, Thirty-five (4.3%) were referred to their family doctors, which lead to confirmation of 12 (1.5%) new diagnoses of AF with 7 (0.9%) of them initiating anticoagulant treatment.

More than 80% of the participants did not present any clinical symptoms of AF and 41.9% suffered from hypertension. The number of patients with CHA2DS2 VASc ≥ 2 and an irregular pulse was 17 (3.9%), of which 10 (58.8%) were not in treatment; 5 (29.4%) were in antiplatelet therapy and 2 (11.8%) were on anticoagulant treatment.

Conclusions: Both the high number of patients with diagnosed AF and not in treatment and the significant number of patients with an irregular pulse and suspected AF detected, demonstrate the capacity and efficacy of the community pharmacy in screening for an irregular pulse, thus contributing to the detection of new cases of AF.

 

Keywords : 
Atrial fibrillation, stroke, irregular pulse, community pharmacy, screening
Article download link: 
fc2019-11-4-02know-your-pulse-english.pdf

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