Introduction
Patients with atrial fibrillation have a higher risk of stroke, blood clots and memory problems in later life that can lead to dementia.
We don’t currently know whether giving blood thinning medication can reduce this risk if given to patients earlier than they would normally receive.
This trial will randomly assign patients to either continuing their current care (starting blood thinners when they are older) or given a blood thinning medication at a younger age.
If your GP is taking part in the trial, they will invite you to join if you meet certain criteria. If you participate in this study, you will not need extra visits to your doctor. You will be sent a questionnaire every 6 months to complete on your mobile phone or any internet connected device.
What is the purpose of the study?
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common condition where the heart rhythm is irregular. AF leads to a higher risk of blood clots which can cause a stroke if they occur in the brain, and other problems elsewhere in the body. In addition, patients with AF have a higher chance of developing cognitive decline (trouble remembering, concentrating or making every-day decisions) that can eventually lead to dementia.
Patients aged over 75 years, or those aged 65 with other health conditions usually receive blood thinning tablets to prevent blood clots. However, this may be too late to avoid dementia. A new class of blood thinning tablets are now widely used in the NHS which are more convenient for patients to take, with a lower risk of bleeding than older treatments. Using these drugs in younger patients could provide benefit, but this needs to be tested in a clinical trial.
The aim of this study is to find out whether these newer blood thinning tablets can prevent serious long-term complications if used earlier in patients with AF. We are also testing a new way to run trials within the NHS, based locally in GP surgeries and without the need for patients to visit a hospital.
If you would like further information about the study then please click this text to download our patient information sheet.
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Use the links below to see tailored content for Healthcare Professionals and Patients, or find out more about results associated with the DaRe2THINK study