Atrial fibrillation amongst the Indo-Asian general practice population: The West Birmingham Atrial Fibrillation Project

Whilst there are recognised ethnic differences in cardiovascular disease, with a higher prevalence of hypertension and complications such as stroke amongst black/Afro–Caribbean populations, and ischaemic heart disease being more prevalent amongst Indo–Asians, the literature describing the clinical epidemiology of atrial fibrillation (AF) in non-caucasian groups is scarce. To survey the clinical features and management amongst Indo–Asian patients with known AF, we studied patients from six general practices in the west of Birmingham. The six general practices had a combined practice population of 25 051, from which, the Indo–Asian population was 14 670. A total of 12 Indo–Asian patients (six male, six female; mean age, 67 years; range, 42 to 95 years) with known AF were identified, suggesting a prevalence of AF in Indo–Asians aged >50 years of 0.6%. Six patients had chronic AF, two had recent onset (defined as onset