Atrial Fibrillation Screening in General Practice by Pharmacists
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Atrial Fibrillation Screening in General Practice by Clinical Pharmacists (PDAF)
IRAS ID
232663
Contact name
Sarah Corlett
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Kent
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 30 days
Research summary
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained heart rhythm disorder that affects ~6% of the population over the age of 65 years, with an estimated 33 million people thought to be suffering with the condition globally. AF often occurs alongside other conditions such as high blood pressure, heart failure, obesity and diabetes. Left untreated, AF is associated with significant heart problems and a 5-fold increased risk of stroke. 20% of all strokes occur as a result of AF and 50% of these strokes will end either in severe disability or death. Strikingly, for 40% of all sufferers, AF can be asymptomatic, with stroke often being the first symptom. It is estimated in Kent, Surrey and Sussex, that >65,000 of people are living with undiagnosed AF across the region. The associated cost of AF-related strokes is significant, with £2.2 billion spent each year in the UK. Early detection of AF and appropriate treatment can significantly reduce the risk of stroke. Health care professionals and policy makers agree there is an urgent need to improve AF detection and are, exploring primary care as an appropriate setting to do this. This is likely to be convenient for patients and cost effective if used in combination with current healthcare infrastructure and other patient services, such as Flu vaccination clinics. However, due to high GP workloads there are currently significant problems with patient access to GP services. It is now widely recognised that Pharmacists are an underutilised work force and many are now working alongside GPs in the surgery as part of an NHS initiative. In this study we aim to determine whether Clinical Pharmacists based in GP surgeries can effectively screen patients at risk of developing AF, during the Flu vaccination season, using a simple pulse check and a non-invasive electrocardiogram (ECG).
REC name
London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/1650
Date of REC Opinion
31 Oct 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion