Prevalence of atrial fibrillation and associated anticoagulant therapy in the nonagenarian population of the Community of Madrid, Spain

Aims The objective of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in nonagenarians living in the Community of Madrid, their clinical features, the use of anticoagulant therapy and factors associated with its use. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 59 423 individuals aged >= 90 years, living in the Community of Madrid on 31 December 2015. Clinical information was obtained from a database that includes information from electronic medical records collected by 3881 general practitioners in primary care. Results Some 16.95% of nonagenarians (n = 10 077) were diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. These individuals have a higher prevalence of classic risk factors and established cardiovascular disease, as well as higher comorbidity. Of these, 67.6% received anticoagulant therapy, 27.9% received antiplatelet agents and 7.2% received both treatments simultaneously. Of the participants administered anticoagulation, 11.6% received a direct oral anticoagulant. The use of anticoagulant therapy was associated with a younger age, the presence of heart failure or venous thromboembolism, the absence of hypertension, a higher Barthel Index score, a greater number of prescribed drugs, a higher body mass index and a lower Charlson Comorbidity Index score. Conclusions Nonagenarians with atrial fibrillation have a high risk of stroke; however, high comorbidity and functional impairment have limited the use of anticoagulant therapy. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 203-207.