Surgery group

(n=144)

Control Group

(n=200)

p value

Valve surgery

(n=88)

Other surgery

(n=55)

p value

8 questions about AF in general

AF is a condition where the heart beats irregularly and often faster than normal

96 (66.7)

155 (77.5)

0.02

62 (70.5)

34 (61.8)

0.3

AF is not always accompanied by symptoms

26 (18.1)

56 (28.0)

0.03

14 (15.91)

12 (21.8)

0.3

Patients can detect AF by taking their pulse regularly

53 (36.8)

100 (50.0)

0.01

34 (38.6)

19 (34.6)

0.7

AF can cause blood clots which can lead to stroke (cerebral infarction)

78 (54.2)

136 (68.3)

0.009

45 (51.1)

32 (58.2)

0.4

Medication cannot prevent AF permanently, as the arrhythmia will increasingly occur with ageing, even when taking medication

51 (35.7)

63 (31.7)

0.4

36 (40.9)

15 (27.8)

0.1

An AF patient should not go to the general practitioner or emergency room each time he/she feels AF

25 (17.4)

62 (31.2)

0.003

13 (14.8)

12 (21.8)

0.3

Being overweight exacerbates AF

71 (49.3)

113 (57.1)

0.1

43 (48.9)

28 (50.9)

0.8

Blood thinners are often prescribed for patients with AF in order to prevent the development of blood clots in the heart, which can lead to stroke

87 (60.4)

157 (78.9)

0.0003

55 (62.5)

32 (58.2)

0.7

5 questions about OAC therapy

Patients with AF should always take their blood thinners, even if they do not feel AF

108 (75.0)

167 (84.8)

0.02

69 (78.4)

38 (69.1)

0.2

Possible side effects of blood thinners are the occurrence of bleedings and longer bleeding times in case of injuries

64 (44.8)

132 (67.0)

0.0001

47 (53.4)

16 (29.6)

0.008

AF patients may only take painkillers based on paracetamol

39 (27.5)

84 (43.8)

0.002

29 (33.3)

10 (18.5)

0.08

When AF patients regularly have minor nose bleeds (that spontaneously cease), they should contact the general practitioner or specialist, while continuing to take their blood thinner

96 (67.1)

139 (70.6)

0.5

59 (67.8)

36 (65.5)

0.8

If an AF patient needs an operation, he/she should consult a doctor to discuss possible options

76 (52.8)

145 (73.6)

0.0001

48 (54.6)

27 (49.1)

0.6

3 questions about VKA

n=64

n=109

n=47

n=17

AF patients taking VKA should have their blood thinning checked at least once a month

55 (85.9)

96 (88.1)

0.8

43 (91.5)

12 (70.6)

0.04

When AF patients taking VKA have forgotten to take their blood thinner, they should still take their forgotten pill (immediately or at the next dose)

9 (14.1)

29 (27.1)

0.05

6 (12.8)

3 (17.7)

0.6

INR is a measure to check how thick or how thin the blood is

40 (62.5)

93 (86.9)

0.0003

33 (70.2)

7 (41.2)

0.04

3 questions about NOAC

n=96

n=101

n=49

n=46

For patients taking NOAC, it is important to take their blood thinner at the same time every day

85 (88.5)

93 (92.1)

0.4

44 (89.8)

40 (87.0)

0.7

When AF patients taking NOAC have forgotten to take their blood thinner, they can still take that dose, unless the time till the next dose is less than the time after the missed dose

26 (27.1)

33 (32.4)

0.4

16 (32.7)

10 (21.7)

0.2

The NOAC card should be shown to their general practitioner and specialist by AF patients

22 (25.0)

26 (36.1)

0.1

10 (22.2)

11 (26.2)

0.8