National screening programmes for over-65s should be "urgently" introduced to reduce the number of premature deaths caused by stroke, medical experts have said.
The call to the UK and Scottish governments was made after a meeting of more than 120 stroke specialists from around the country.
The meeting, convened by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE), was held to find methods of improving diagnosis and treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF), a heart condition which significantly increases the risk of stroke. It is the most common, sustained heart disorder and the risk factors increase with age.
Experts said blood-thinning drugs can be used to treat the condition but it is often under-treated as it does not always display symptoms. The two-day meeting held last week allowed them to review the current evidence and produce clinical guidance for the NHS.
Recommendations reached include the need for a national screening programme. Experts said the most cost-effective way of doing so would be to target all over-65s by checking pulses in GP surgeries. Further tests would then be arranged for those with irregular pulses.
Dr Scott Ramsay, consultant in stroke medicine, said: "The goal of treating atrial fibrillation is primarily to reduce the current unacceptable levels of avoidable stroke and the disability and premature death it causes. This is an issue of national significance."
Another of their key recommendations was to increase the use of anti-coagulant treatments (blood-thinning drugs) and improve methods of engaging patients in managing their condition. They also warned that aspirin has proven to be "ineffective" in preventing stroke in AF and should not be used as an alternative to anticoagulants.
The RCPE UK Consensus Statement on Atrial Fibrillation said patients currently being prescribed aspirin for the condition should be reviewed and offered anticoagulation or have aspirin withdrawn.
Dr Ramsay added: "For all patients in atrial fibrillation, except those few at truly low risk of stroke, anticoagulation is the only effective stroke prevention and should be offered as treatment."
AF arises from an irregular heartbeat and presents symptoms of palpitations, chest pain, breathlessness and dizziness. It is estimated to affect 2% of the UK population at any one time.
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Screening urged over stroke deaths