Information for Healthcare Professionals
The Know Your Pulse campaign is organised by Arrhythmia Alliance (A-A), a coalition of patient groups, patients, carers, medical professionals and allied professionals. A-A promotes timely and effective diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias.
Evidence on the high impact, low cost and effectiveness of pulse screening is available online (please see useful links below). A-A works nationally with medical professionals to gather evidence for the use of pulse checks during opportunistic and routine practices, such as the flu clinics and the NHS cardiovascular health checks.
Putting Pulse into Practice - Implementation across the UK
Included here are models of pulse screening initiatives which have been incorporated into regional clinical practices across England. These documents provide evidence relating to the implementation, effectiveness, cost and outcomes of using pulse checks to identify cardiac arrhythmias, through mechanisms such as the NHS Health Check, flu clinics and opportunistic screening.
1. Dorset Cardiac and Stroke Network Life Channel Clip
2. Atrial Fibrillation in Primary Care Surrey Heart and Stroke Network, Surrey PCT
3. Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Primary Care Diagnosis and Management Pathway
4. How to run low-cost high-impact AF screening at flu clinics
5. Poor treatment of abnormal heart rhythm puts patients lives at risk
6.Atrial Fibrillation: A National View
7. Great Western Ambulance Service protocol on routine pulse checks
Staff Guidelines Patient Information leaflet GP letter
8. Is your pulse racing? Bournemouth and Poole highlight the 'Know Your Pulse' campaign
A-A needs you!!
Please submit evidence of your successful pulse screening initiatives to joanna@heartrhythmcharity.org.uk
All data will be promoted and shared on this website.
Data of special interest includes:
- The number of people across practices and regions with arrhythmias, specifically Atrial Fibrillation.
- The costs associated with the use of manual pulse checks either through opportunistic screening or routine practice.
- Information on whether, or how, manual pulse checks have been incorporated into your region’s 40-74 year old Health Checks or in the annual flu inoculation programme? If so, do you have any evidence of the number of arrhythmia patients you identified?
- Do you offer pulse checks as part of a locally enhanced service? If so, is this routine practice?
- The number of patients routinely having their pulse taken and whether this is regular practice.
This data is being gathered to highlight examples of best practice for early identification through screening. It will be publicised in relevant publications and online.
A-A has Department of Health endorsed resources including Pulse Check Guides, referral letters, arrhythmia checklists, booklets, toolkits, factsheets and a website secure medical area. A-A would be pleased to share these resources to highlight awareness of cardiac arrhythmias.
Please contact joanna@heartrhythmcharity.org.uk for further information on all the available publications and resources.
Useful links