Atrial fibrillation

Pharmacists could screen patients for AF during flu vaccination appointments, study suggests

Screening for atrial fibrillation could be carried out during flu vaccination appointments to increase early detection rates, a feasibility study has suggested.…

Apixaban may be more effective and safer than rivaroxaban, research suggests

Adults with non-valvular atrial fibrillation prescribed apixaban have a lower rate of ischaemic stroke and systemic blood clots compared with those prescribed rivaroxaban, according to a retrospective cohort study in Annals of Internal Medicine.…

Lower-GI bleeding should be investigated in anticoagulated patients, researchers say

Lower gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation who are being treated with oral anticoagulants is associated with a higher risk of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, a study published in the European Heart Journal suggests.…

Apixaban safer than warfarin for patients regardless of stroke history

Apixaban is associated with less major bleeding, death and hospitalisation than warfarin, regardless of a patient’s stroke history, a secondary analysis of the AUGUSTUS trial has indicated.…

Patients taking anticoagulants feel excluded from therapy decisions

Patients with atrial fibrillation report several negative experiences associated with changes to their anticoagulation therapy — something that shared decision-making and patient education could help to address, research has suggested.…

Forgotten patients: thousands left on risky anticoagulant combinations

Combinations of drugs involving anticoagulants are one of the most frequent causes of medicine-related hospital admissions, but pharmacists can help reduce the risk.…

Pharmacists to identify AF patients at risk of stroke in £9m NHS England programme

Specialist pharmacists across 23 areas in England will help to identify patients with atrial fibrillation who are at risk of stroke and could benefit from medication, under a £9m programme announced by NHS England.…

Depression linked to atrial fibrillation diagnosis

Depression is associated with an increased likelihood of atrial fibrillation diagnosis, according to a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.…

Sleep disruption linked to atrial fibrillation risk

Sleep disruption is an important risk factor for developing atrial fibrillation, study results show.…

Pharmacists in a multidisciplinary atrial fibrillation clinic

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac rhythm disturbance and increases in prevalence with advancing age. Each year, Tallaght University Hospital in Dublin assesses and admits over 400 patients with stroke and transient ischemic attack. AF is implicated as a causative factor in 33% of t…