As part of the “Cardiology at the Interface of Primary and Secondary Care” webinar series, this 90-minute interactive session will focus on the role of general practitioners in the management of atrial fibrillation (AF), one of the most common and clinically significant cardiac arrhythmias.
The session will provide a practical overview of identifying AF in the primary care setting, initiating evidence-based management strategies, and recognising when specialist referral is appropriate. We’ll also touch on anticoagulation decisions, rhythm vs rate control strategies, and key updates from recent guidelines.
Learning Outcomes:
- Identify key clinical features of atrial fibrillation and initiate appropriate diagnostic workup.
- Understand first-line management strategies for rate and rhythm control.
- Assess stroke risk using CHA₂DS₂-VASc and bleeding risk using HAS-BLED to guide anticoagulation decisions.
- Recognise red flags and indications for referral to cardiology.
- Apply current guideline-based approaches to the long-term management of AF in the primary care setting.
Speaker Information:
Dr. Jonathan Lipton completed his cardiology training at the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands in 2013, before pursuing further specialization in electrophysiology and pacing at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney and the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
In 2016, Dr. Lipton relocated to Tasmania, where he established the Electrophysiology Service at both the Royal Hobart Hospital and Hobart Private Hospital. He currently serves as the Clinical Lead of the Tasmanian Electrophysiology Service and is a staff specialist at both the Royal Hobart Hospital and the Royal Melbourne Hospital. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Lipton holds a Senior Clinical Lecturer position at the University of Tasmania and regularly conducts educational outreach missions to Cambodia and Fiji.
The Tasmanian Electrophysiology Service offers comprehensive care for patients with heart rhythm disorders, including specialized nurse-led and GP-led atrial fibrillation (AF) clinics, complex arrhythmia clinics, and an inherited arrhythmia clinic. The service also provides advanced procedures such as catheter ablation (including radiofrequency and pulsed field ablation), as well as the implantation and management of cardiac devices.