Bottom Line: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) concludes that the current evidence is insufficient regarding screening for atrial fibrillation, the most common type of irregular heartbeat, with electrocardiography (ECG), a noninvasive test that records the electrical activity of the heart.
Background: The USPSTF routinely makes recommendations about the effectiveness of preventive care services. This latest statement is a new recommendation on screening for atrial fibrillation with ECG. The prevalence of atrial fibrillation increases with age and it is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke.
Related material
The following related elements from The JAMA Network are also available on the For The Media website :
A podcast regarding the recommendation statement is available for listening and download.
Screening for Atrial Fibrillation With Electrocardiography - US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement
Screening for Atrial Fibrillation With Electrocardiography - Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force
JAMA editorial - Electrocardiographic Monitoring for Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation-Associated Cardioembolic Stroke
JAMA Cardiology editorial - Electrocardiography Screening for Atrial Fibrillation
JAMA Internal Medicine editorial - Screening for Atrial Fibrillation Comes With Many Snags
JAMA Patient Page - Screening for Atrial Fibrillation With Electrocardiography
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To Learn More: The full report is available on the For The Media website .
(doi:10.1001/jama.2018.10321)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
Note : More information about the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, its process, and its recommendations can be found on the newsroom page of its website.
Want to embed a link to this report in your story? Link will be live at the embargo time and all links to all USPSTF articles remain free indefinitely: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2018.10321
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