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Empowering podiatrists to perform pulse checks for opportunistic atrial fibrillation

Discussion in 'Diabetic Foot & Wound Management' started by NewsBot, Feb 26, 2019.

  1. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

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    Empowering podiatrists to perform pulse checks for opportunistic atrial fibrillation detection during annual diabetes foot checks
    Linda Hicks et al
    Open Heart 2019;6:e000795
     
  2. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

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  3. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

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    NEWS RELEASE 24-APR-2021
    Simple foot test detects heart rhythm disorder in patients with diabetes

    Sophia Antipolis - 24 April 2021: Atrial fibrillation can be detected during annual foot assessments in patients with diabetes, according to research presented today at EHRA 2021, an online scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1

    "In our study, one in six patients with diabetes had previously undiagnosed atrial fibrillation," said study author Dr. Ilias Kanellos of the European University of Cyprus, Nicosia. "This presents an opportunity to provide treatment to prevent subsequent strokes."

    Diabetes is an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation.2 Prevalence of the heart rhythm disorder is at least two-fold higher in patients with diabetes compared to those without. Although people with atrial fibrillation have a five times greater risk of stroke, anticoagulation medication is an effective preventive therapy.

    Annual foot checks are advised for patients with diabetes. This is because increased blood sugars cause poor circulation, nerve damage and numbness, and could ultimately lead to foot amputation if problems go undetected.

    Dr. Kanellos said: "The yearly check-up includes palpating the arteries in the feet to examine whether there is healthy blood flow. During this examination we noticed that some patients had an irregular rhythm and decided to investigate its usefulness for diagnosing atrial fibrillation."

    Two podiatrists and six podologists were trained to spot rhythm abnormalities during pulse palpation of the foot arteries. They were also shown how to confirm their findings using a hand-held Doppler ultrasound device.

    The 12-month observational study included 300 patients with diabetes attending their annual foot screening appointments. Patients with rhythm abnormalities during pulse palpation of their foot arteries underwent a Doppler ultrasound to verify the observations.

    The average age of participants was 60 years. There were 180 men and 120 women. The researchers found that 51 patients (17%) had previously undiagnosed atrial fibrillation. The heart rhythm disorder was found in a similar proportion of men and women. Patients were advised to visit a cardiologist for an electrocardiogram (ECG) to reinforce the diagnosis and discuss treatment.

    Dr. Kanellos said: "The study has identified a simple, quick, and low-cost way to identify patients with diabetes who have a heart rhythm disorder they were unaware of. This intervention has the potential to avoid strokes and preserve quality of life in this patient group."
     
  4. DaVinci

    DaVinci Well-Known Member

    Are any people actually doing this now in clinical practice? Sounds like it would be a good thing to do.
     
  5. NewsBot

    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

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    Routine podiatry assessment as a potential preventive tool for atrial fibrillation screening in diabetics
    M Petridou, E Matopoulou, I Kanellos, S Daios, I Patrikios, K Charalampous, K Lampropoulos, A Stefanou, P Skantzis, V Arkouli ..
    EP Europace, Volume 23, Issue Supplement_3, May 2021, euab116.507, https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euab116.507
     
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    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

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    Prevalence of Hypertension and Related Characteristics: Perspectives from an Outpatient Podiatric Medical Clinic
    Steven R Cooperman et al
    J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 2022 Apr 27;112(2):19-159
     
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    NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

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    Association Between Atrial Fibrillation and Diabetes-Related Complications: A Nationwide Cohort Study
    Soonil Kwon et al
    Diabetes Care. 2023 Oct 18:dc230931
     
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