Paper Reminders Improve Anticoagulation Rates for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter

Because patients with atrial fibrillation or flutter (AF/F) are at increased risk for ischemic stroke, oral anticoagulation is indicated for those who score high on standardized risk calculators such as CHADS-Vasc or CHADS65. These authors measured whether paper reminders improved anticoagulation rates in four large, urban Canadian emergency departments (EDs).

During a preintervention period, investigators used a provincial pharmacy database to determine rates of filled prescriptions within 90 days by patients with electrocardiogram (ECG)-demonstrated AF/F and CHADS65 scores ≥1. The intervention was implemented in two of the four EDs: For any ECG that showed AF/F (as determined by the automatic read), a sticker was applied suggesting conside…