scholarly journals Hybrid Decision Support to Monitor Atrial Fibrillation for Stroke Prevention

Author(s):  
Ningrong Lei ◽  
Murtadha Kareem ◽  
Seung Ki Moon ◽  
Edward J. Ciaccio ◽  
U Rajendra Acharya ◽  
...  

In this paper, we discuss hybrid decision support to monitor atrial fibrillation for stroke prevention. Hybrid decision support takes the form of human experts and machine algorithms working cooperatively on a diagnosis. The link to stroke prevention comes from the fact that patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF) have a fivefold increased stroke risk. Early diagnosis, which leads to adequate AF treatment, can decrease the stroke risk by 66% and thereby prevent stroke. The monitoring service is based on Heart Rate (HR) measurements. The resulting signals are communicated and stored with Internet of Things (IoT) technology. A Deep Learning (DL) algorithm automatically estimates the AF probability. Based on this technology, we can offer four distinct services to healthcare providers: (1) universal access to patient data; (2) automated AF detection and alarm; (3) physician support; and (4) feedback channels. These four services create an environment where physicians can work symbiotically with machine algorithms to establish and communicate a high quality AF diagnosis.

Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 2616-2616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Teutsch ◽  
Menno V Huisman ◽  
Gregory Y.H. Lip ◽  
Hans-Christoph Diener ◽  
Sergio J Dubner ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose/Background : Oral anticoagulation is recommended for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and stroke risk factors, but discontinuation rates are high among those treated with vitamin K antagonists (VKA). After the first year of treatment, about half of patients permanently stop taking VKA therapy. We examined persistence to therapy with dabigatran etexilate (DE) in patients enrolled in the global, prospective GLORIA-AF Registry Program. Methods: GLORIA-AF collects data in three phases from routine clinical practice in 44 countries worldwide. Enrollment in Phase II was initiated following approval of DE, the first non-VKA oral anticoagulant (NOAC) available. During this phase, all patients with newly diagnosed NVAF at risk for stroke starting DE are followed for 2 years. This analysis is based on a pre-specified interim analysis once follow-up of the first 3000 DE patients was completed. Patients were recruited between November 2011 and December 2013 at nearly 1,000 sites worldwide, by cardiologists, neurologists and general practitioners. To reduce selection bias, patients were recruited consecutively, irrespective of antithrombotic therapy. Persistence was defined as time from initiation to discontinuation of therapy for >30 days or substitution of initial treatment by another oral anticoagulant. Persistence rates were analyzed on the basis of a time-to-event analysis using the Kaplan Meier method. Results: Among eligible patients, 2,937 were prescribed DE; 823 (27.4%) in North America, 1,503 (50.1%) in Europe, 194 (6.5%) in Latin America, 54 (1.8%) in Africa/Middle East and 363 (12.1%) in Asia. Overall, 55.3% were male, the median age was 71.0 (range 23-98) years; 36.7% were ≥75 years old. The CHA2DS2VASc score was ≥2 in 88.2%, 78.9% had hypertension, 22.7% diabetes mellitus, 10.1% prior stoke and 24.9% heart failure. All but 5 eligible patients took at least one dose of DE. The probability of remaining on DE treatment was 76.6% at 1 year and 69.2% at 2 years (based on Kaplan-Meier method). At the 2 years visit, half of the permanently discontinued patients (418 out of 828) had switched to another oral anticoagulant. Characteristics of patients discontinuing vs. sustaining therapy and relationships to stroke risk and geographical region will be presented. Conclusions: In this global, prospective, cohort of patients newly diagnosed with NVAF and treated with DE, persistence on therapy was high through 2 years of treatment, with an estimated probability of remaining on treatment of about 77% after 1 year and 70% after 2 years. The detailed results will provide a global perspective on the factors that influence treatment persistence in patients prescribed a NOAC for stroke prophylaxis. Disclosures Teutsch: Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. Huisman:Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co.KG: Other: Grant support; GlaxoSmithKline: Other: Grant support; Bayer HealthCare: Other: Grant support; Pfizer: Other: Grant support; Actelion: Other: Grant support. Lip:Bayer, BMS/Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim and Sanofi Aventis: Speakers Bureau; Bayer, Astellas, Merck, Sanofi, Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS)/Pfizer, Daiichi-Sankyo, Biotronik, Portola and Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy. Diener:AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen-Cilag, Lundbeck, Novartis, Sanofi Aventis, Syngis and Talecris: Research Funding; Abbott, Allergan, AstraZeneca, Bayer Vital, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, CoAxia, Corimmun, Covidien, Daiichi-Sankyo, D-Pharm, Fresenius, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen-Cilag, Johnson & Johnson, Knoll, Lilly, Medtronic, MindFrame, MSD, Neurobiological Technologies: Honoraria; The Department of Neurology at the University Duisburg-Essen received research grants from the German Research Council (DFG), German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), European Union, National Institutes of Health, Bertelsmann Foundation and Heinz: Research Funding. Dubner:steering committee member for Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy; St Jude Medical: Research Funding. Changsheng:steering committee member for Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy. Rothman:RTI Health Solutions: Employment. Zint:Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. Elsaesser:Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. Paquette:Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. Bartels:Boehringer Ingelheim: Employment. Halperin:Bayer HealthCare: Consultancy; Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy.


2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 122
Author(s):  
Pierre Amarenco ◽  
Werner Hacke ◽  
Bo Norrving ◽  
Natalia Rost ◽  
◽  
...  

In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) the risk of stroke is substantially increased, especially in those who are elderly (over 75 years) or have risk factors such as previous stroke, heart failure or hypertension. Stroke outcomes are also generally much worse in those with AF. Current guidelines indicate that any patient with AF and risk factors for stroke should receive anticoagulant therapy to limit their stroke risk. Despite these established recommendations, only 50 % of patients at risk receive anticoagulation with a vitamin K antagonist (VKA) and only 50 % of those are within the therapeutic range, indicating lack of adherence to the guidelines. Withholding anticoagulant therapy is mainly left to an individual physician’s choice, as shown in the ongoing GARFIELD registry of AF stroke prevention practice. Many physicians fear the risk of intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) for which outcomes remain poor. Recent clinical studies have shown that the non-VKA oral anticoagulants (NOACs) (apixaban, rivaroxaban, dabigatran and edoxaban) significantly reduce the risk of ICH and other bleeding events, while having non-inferior stroke prevention to warfarin. Use of these drugs, limiting exposure to aspirin and alcohol and controlling blood pressure have been shown to minimise ICH risk in large clinical trials and meta-analyses. Recent data from the Effective aNticoaGulation with factor xA next GEneration in Atrial Fibrillation (ENGAGE AF)-TIMI 48 study showed that the factor Xa inhibitor edoxaban was non-inferior to well-managed warfarin for reducing all stroke risk, and significantly reduced haemorrhagic stroke, major bleeding, ICH and death. These findings further support the case for using NOAC therapy for stroke prevention in patients with AF and risk factors for stroke.


Author(s):  
Stacey L. Schott ◽  
Julia Berkowitz ◽  
Shayne E. Dodge ◽  
Curtis L. Petersen ◽  
Catherine H. Saunders ◽  
...  

Background: Shared decision-making in cardiology is increasingly recommended to improve patient-centeredness of care. Decision aids can improve patient knowledge and decisional quality but are infrequently used in real-world practice. This mixed-methods study tests the efficacy and acceptability of a decision aid integrated into the electronic health record (Integrated Decision Aid [IDeA]) and delivered by clinicians for patients with atrial fibrillation considering options to reduce stroke risk. We aimed to determine whether the IDeA improves patient knowledge, reduces decisional conflict, and is seen as acceptable by clinicians and patients. Methods: A small cluster randomized trial included 6 cardiovascular clinicians and 66 patients randomized either to the IDeA (HealthDecision) or usual care (clinician discretion) during a clinical encounter when stroke prevention treatment options were discussed. The primary outcome was patient knowledge of personalized stroke risk. Exploratory outcomes included decisional conflict, values concordance, trust, the presence of a shared decision-making process, and patient knowledge related to time spent using the IDeA. Additionally, we conducted semistructured interviews with clinicians and patients who used the IDeA were conducted to assess acceptability and predictions of future use. Results: The IDeA significantly increased patients’ knowledge of their stroke risk (odds ratio, 3.88 [95% CI, 1.39–10.78]; P <0.01]). Patients had less uncertainty about their final decision ( P =0.04). There were no significant differences in values concordance, trust in clinician or shared decision-making. Despite training, each clinician used the IDeA differently. Qualitative analysis revealed patients prefer using the IDeA earlier in their diagnosis. Clinicians were satisfied with the IDeA, yet varied in the contexts in which they planned to use it in the future. Conclusions: Using an Integrated Decision Aid, or IDeA, increases patient knowledge and lessens uncertainty for decision-making around stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. Qualitative data provide insight into potential implementation strategies in real-world practice.


Author(s):  
Mohanad Y. Al-Radeef

Atrial fibrillation is associates with elevated risk of stroke. The simplest stroke risk assessment schemes are CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc score. Aspirin and oral anticoagulants are recommended for stroke prevention in such patients. The aim of this study was to  assess status of CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores in Iraqi atrial fibrillation patients and to report current status of stroke prevention in these patients with either warfarin or aspirin in relation to these scores. This prospective cross-sectional study was carried out at Tikrit, Samarra, Sharqat, Baquba, and AL-Numaan hospitals from July 2017 to October 2017. CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores were manually calculated. One hundred patients were participated, 48 were men and 52 were women. Their mean age was 62.56 ± 14.36 years. Permanent type of atrial fibrillation, palpitation, and hypertension were the most diagnosed type, symptom and comorbidity recorded in this study respectively. Average scores of CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc were 2.34 ± 1.39 and 4.1 ± 2.05, respectively. These scores were not calculated for these patients in hospital setting. Aspirin and warfarin were prescribed regardless to these scores. The result of this study indicated that CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores were often neglected in hospitals; and aspirin is still widely used as a strategy to minimize the risk of stroke. Keywords: Atrial fibrillation, CHADS2, CHA2DS2-VASc, aspirin, warfarin.


ESC CardioMed ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 2182-2185
Author(s):  
Gregory Y. H. Lip

Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of stroke, and the more common and validated risk factors have been used to formulate stroke risk stratification schemes, but the default position is to offer stroke prevention to all patients with atrial fibrillation unless they are shown to be at low risk. The use of the CHA2DS2-VASc score is recommended for stroke risk stratification in guidelines. Decision-making for stroke prevention should apply the simple ‘atrial fibrillation three-step’ patient pathway. Step 1 is to initially identify ‘low-risk’ patients (CHA2DS2-VASc 0 in males, 1 in females) who do not need antithrombotic therapy; step 2 is to offer stroke prevention (i.e. oral anticoagulation) to those with at least one stroke risk factor; step 3 is to decide between a vitamin K antagonist (with good time in therapeutic range at >70%) or a non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant, using the SAMe-TT2R2 score. This simple streamlined practical approach will help risk stratification and treatment decision-making.


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