Research to test screening for common heart condition needs 2100 people in Eastern region
2100 people in East Anglia will help test screening for a common heart condition which is known to be a trigger for strokes.
A huge new programme of health research on screening for undiagnosed atrial fibrillation, the heart condition responsible for one in ten strokes, is starting here in East Anglia.
The research has been designed so that it can continue safely during the COVID pandemic. It will involve around 2100 people aged 70 or over in East Anglia over the next few months, before being scaled up later this year. Ultimately, the research team will need 126,000 people across the country to take part.
The £3m trial is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the country’s largest funder of health research.
The research, called the SAFER trial, is important because atrial fibrillation, or AF, is a common heart problem, especially for people over 70. Many people do not know they have it, but the condition is linked to increased risks of serious problems like stroke, heart attack and dementia.
About 10% of strokes, for example, happen in people unaware that they have atrial fibrillation. Once diagnosed, AF can be treated, so the risks of more serious problems can be reduced.
Professor Jonathan Mant, lead researcher on the SAFER trial at the University of Cambridge, explained: “Anticoagulation therapy is a very effective treatment that can reduce the risk of stroke by about 65%, so many of these strokes are preventable. The SAFER trial will investigate whether screening for AF is effective and cost efficient.”
“To get clear results, we’ll need 126,000 people to be part of this research and to achieve that, we estimate we’ll need to invite over 400,000 people. It’s a landmark trial that will help the NHS decide whether to start a national screening programme for atrial fibrillation.”
2100 people aged 70 and over, who are more likely than younger people to have AF, are needed in East Anglia this spring. Eligible people will be contacted by their GP practice in this area and invited to join the trial.
In the SAFER trial, all the screening will be done remotely, at home, via a small hand-held electronic device, Zenicor-ECG. The device takes readings of the heart’s rhythm and sends the data to the researchers automatically.
Dr Helen Macdonald, Chief Operating Officer for the NIHR’s Clinical Research Network Eastern, said “This research could have a huge impact on reducing many patients’ risk of stroke. It is crucial that we are able to continue running important trials such as this, despite challenges caused by the pandemic. The trial can’t happen without the involvement of people like Mrs Fox and all those who participate, and we are incredibly grateful for their generous and vital input.”
Learn more about this study from the SAFER trial website.
Find out more about getting involved in other health research at bepartofresearch.uk.
