Smartphone-Based Atrial Fibrillation Screening in Community Pharmacy Settings Diagnostic Yield, Risk Stratification, and Anticoagulation Initiation Across Sixteen Pharmacy Sites
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Many cases of atrial fibrillation (AF) are paroxysmal or asymptomatic and remain undetected until a thromboembolic stroke. Smartphone-based detection through photoplethysmography (PPG) and single-lead ECG offers a low-cost screening modality, and community pharmacies provide an accessible setting with high routine footfall. We screened 425 adults aged 55 years and older across sixteen urban and semi-urban community pharmacies over a six-month period. AF was newly detected in 31 individuals (7.3%), with detection rates rising from 0.8% in those under 55 to 12.4% in those aged 75 and over. The single-lead ECG device achieved an area under the ROC curve of 0.94 against cardiologist 12-lead ECG, while smartphone PPG achieved 0.89. Of newly detected AF cases, 29 (93.5%) had a CHA₂DS₂-VASc score of 2 or higher and met criteria for oral anticoagulation; 24 (77.4%) initiated anticoagulation within 30 days of screening. The yield, accuracy, and downstream anticoagulation uptake support pharmacy-based smartphone AF screening as a scalable strategy for early detection in older adults.
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7162528215
FWCI:
Cites:
Cited by:
Related to: