SAFE
Solutions for Atrial Fibrillation Edvocacy (SAFE) was a research project focused on leveraging community pharmacies for Afib screening, detetion, and referral to physicians for follow-up and initiation of evidence-based therapy when appropriate.
This prospective research study was conducted with 14 community pharmacies across the US, in which a total of 650 patients were screened for Afib. Pharmacists conducted SAFEty Risk Assessments that consisted of completion of a Stroke Risk Scorecard and EKG determination utilizing AliveCor’s KardiaMobile® 6L device. In 552 (82.5%) of 669 total EKG readings, a “normal” rhythm was detected, and in 117 (17.5%) EKG readings an abnormal detection occurred. A total of 12 out of 650 patients (1.8%) received EKG readings of Afib, which is greater than double the expected prevalence of Afib in the US (0.81%), a statistically significant finding (p < 0.0001). Other notable findings included 42 (6.3%) EKG readings of Wide QRS, and 26 (3.9%) EKG readings of tachycardia. A total of 44 patients were referred to physicians for follow-up on their risk for Afib.
SAFE demonstrated that community pharmacies offer a unique, valuable access point for patients to receive Afib screenings. Pharmacists are well positioned to make a significant contribution in the cardiovascular health of their patients and increase the value of team-based health care.