Screening for atrial fibrillation in hospitalised geriatric patients.

Objectives: To assess whether daily short-term rhythm strip recordings on top of routine clinical care could increase the atrial fibrillation (AF) detection rate in the hospitalised elderly.

Methods: A hand-held device storing a bipolar ECG during 1 min was used for daily rhythm recording in hospitalised elderly patients.

Results: During 2 months, all patients admitted to the Department of Geriatric Medicine were screened (n=327).