Preventing Stroke, Premature Death and Cognitive Decline in a Broader Community of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation (DaRe2THINK)
Atrial Fibrillation
About this trial
This is an interventional prevention trial for Atrial Fibrillation focused on measuring Atrial fibrillation, anticoagulation, stroke, dementia
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of AF (previous, current or chronic)
- Age >=60 years to <=73 years
Exclusion Criteria:
- Existing use of an anticoagulant.
- Another clinical indication for anticoagulation.
- Hypersensitivity or known intolerance to direct oral anticoagulants.
- Prior documented stroke, transient ischaemic attack or thromboembolism.
- Two or more CHA2DS2-VASc one-point risk factors: Heart failure (confirmed by use of loop diuretic therapy within the last 3 months); Hypertension (confirmed by use of anti-hypertensive therapy within the last 3 months); Age 65 years or older; Diabetes mellitus (confirmed by use of oral antidiabetic therapy or insulin within the last 3 months); Previous myocardial infarction, peripheral artery disease or aortic plaque; and/or Female gender.
- Active clinically-significant bleeding
- Prior major bleeding, defined as any intracranial bleed, or bleeding that resulted in a drop in haemoglobin ≥2g/dL, required hospitalisation or transfusion.
- Condition that poses a significant risk for bleeding (within 12 months) including gastrointestinal ulceration, brain/spinal/ophthalmic injury or surgery, arteriovenous malformations or vascular aneurysms, major intraspinal or intracerebral vascular abnormalities, hepatic disease associated with coagulopathy, known or suspected oesophageal varices, and cancers with high bleeding risk.
- Estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min/1.73m2 measured within the last 6 months.
- Patients receiving systemic treatment with azole-antimycotics within the last 3 months (ketoconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole and posaconazole).
- Current diagnosis of dementia.
- Life expectancy <2 years.
- Unable or unwilling to provide informed consent for access and linkage of past and future electronic healthcare records.
Sites / Locations
- University Hospitals BirminghamRecruiting
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
No Intervention
Direct Oral anticoagulants (DOAC)
No anticoagulant therapy (usual care)
Commence DOAC even with low or intermediate risk of stroke or thromboembolism, which could include currently licensed drugs apixaban, dabigatran, edoxaban or rivaroxaban; choice of drug and dose according to local practice guidelines
Continuation of usual anticoagulant prescribing practice in patients with AF; e.g. according to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), patients with AF should commence oral anticoagulation with a CHA2DS2-VASc score of 2 or above.