A COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF CURRENT INTERNATIONAL ATRIAL FIBRILLATION GUIDELINES FROM A PRIMARY CARE PERSPECTIVE Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequent sustained arrhythmia globally with significant morbidity and mortality. A local guideline has been created to help physicians in clinical decision-making by outlining various generally accepted approaches for the diagnosis, management and prevention of AF. This guideline was published 10 years ago, and it is imperative that new guidelines based on the latest consensus be renewed. Since then, various clinical guidelines have been issued in the past 5 years to standardise the management of AF, including the American College of Cardiology, European Society of Cardiology, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society guidelines. This review aims to provide a comprehensive comparison of these guidelines across multiple aspects of clinical management, including management frameworks, screening, anticoagulation, stroke and bleeding risk assessments, rate and rhythm control, follow-up, comorbidity management and technology usage.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MEDICATION ADHERENCE AND BLOOD PRESSURE CONTROL AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICATION ADHERENCE IN THE MELAKA TENGAH DISTRICT: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY Introduction: The burden of cardiovascular disease and early morbidity and mortality is exacerbated by hypertension. According to the 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey, 30% of adults in Malaysia aged over 18 years had hypertension. Our study aimed to investigate the association between medication adherence and blood pressure control and the factors associated with antihypertensive medication adherence. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among adult patients with hypertension who had been under treatment at public primary health clinics in the Melaka Tengah District. A self-administered questionnaire was used, and blood pressure was measured. Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 28). Results: A total of 1531 patients were recruited in this study. Among them, 74.1% had good antihypertensive medication adherence, and 51.4% had their blood pressure controlled. Medication adherence was significantly associated with blood pressure control (P<0.005). The multivariate analysis showed that the determinants for antihypertensive medication non-adherence were Malay ethnicity, secondary education, farther distance from the clinic, experience of side effects of antihypertensive medications, concern about long-term side effects and usage of alternative medicine (P<0.05). Taking multiple antihypertensive medications was the only factor associated with uncontrolled blood pressure (P<0.05). Conclusion: Addressing issues on medication adherence is important to ensure blood pressure control. The factors associated with non-adherence should be closely monitored to improve blood pressure control and prevent adverse health outcomes. Single-pill combination antihypertensive medications are encouraged to reduce pill burden and improve blood pressure control.