Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41985943›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

General practitioner confidence and practices in oral anticoagulant use for atrial fibrillation in Australia: findings from a cross-sectional study.

Omar Hamed, Solomon Wright, Katrina Giskes, Nicole Lowres, Jessica Orchard, Ben Freedman, Charlotte Mary Hespe

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Omar HamedSchool of Medicine, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-8965-0402
Solomon WrightSchool of Medicine, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Katrina GiskesSchool of Medicine, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia katrina.giskes@nd.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2266-0336
Nicole LowresHeart Rhythm and Stroke Prevention, Heart Research Institute, Newtown, New South Wales, Australia.
Jessica OrchardFaculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5702-7277
Ben FreedmanHeart Rhythm and Stroke Prevention, Heart Research Institute, Newtown, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3809-2911
Charlotte Mary HespeSchool of Medicine, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4582-7728

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo examine Australian General Practitioners' (GPs) confidence in initiating oral anticoagulants (OACs) for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), and their practices for monitoring treatment adherence.

designCross-sectional online survey.

settingGPs practising in metropolitan, regional and rural/remote locations in Australia.

participants1765 Australian GPs recruited through professional GP networks. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: GPs' self-reported confidence initiating OACs; practices monitoring patient adherence and persistence; and perceived barriers to adherence. Demographic data including clinical experience and geographic location were collected. χ

resultsOf 1765 respondents, 83.1% had practised for >10 years and 27.6% worked in regional or rural/remote areas. Overall, only 50.2% reported high confidence initiating OACs in patients with CHA

conclusionsOnly half of GPs reported high confidence initiating OAC treatment, and approximately a quarter do not routinely monitor medication adherence or persistence. Targeted strategies to improve confidence and align practices with guideline recommendations are required. Appropriate education should be developed targeting the specific issues underlying lack of confidence in initiating OAC and the practice of referring newly diagnosed patients to cardiology. Further research into implementing systems for monitoring and improving adherence and persistence would be worthwhile in the context of these findings.

Indexed as

AnticoagulantsAtrial FibrillationGeneral PractitionersPractice Patterns, Physicians'StrokeAdministration, OralAdultAgedAttitude of Health PersonnelAustraliaCross-Sectional StudiesDrug MonitoringFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedAnticoagulantsGeneral PracticeMedication AdherenceMedication PersistencePrimary Health CareSTROKE MEDICINE

Identifiers

PMID41985943
PMCPMC13084886

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.