A research project is investigating how people with atrial fibrillation (AF) are diagnosed, treated and managed across the healthcare system, with the aim of improving care pathways for AF patients including stroke and dementia prevention and delivering more personalised care.
Led by Dr. Fatemeh Torabi and her team at the Population Data Science, Swansea University, the study is establishing a federated network of three trusted research environments using de-identified real-world health data from the Eastern England Secure Data Environment, SAIL Databank and Dementias Platform UK to build a clearer picture of care pathways and patient outcomes.
AF is one of the most common heart rhythm disorders and a major risk factor for stroke. The condition causes an irregular heartbeat, which can allow blood to pool in the heart and form clots. If a clot travels to the brain, it can cause a stroke. As a result, people with AF are around five to seven times more likely to experience a stroke than those without the condition.
Although anticoagulant medicines, often known as blood thinners, can significantly reduce the risk of stroke, they can also increase the risk of serious bleeding. Ensuring patients receive the most appropriate treatment at the right time is therefore a critical aspect of AF care.
The study’s Principal Investigator, Dr Torabi, said:
“Every stroke prevented represents a life protected from potentially devastating and lasting consequences. Our novel approach brings together insights from electronic health records and self-reported outcomes across three trusted research environments, providing a more complete picture of AF care pathways. The support and collaborative approach of the Eastern England SDE team have been invaluable in facilitating secure data access and enabling the study to progress efficiently. Together, we aim to identify inequalities and missed opportunities in care, support more personalised treatment and ultimately prevent avoidable strokes.”
The research will analyse de-identified real-world health data held within the Eastern England Secure Data Environment, including secondary care records, hospital admissions, prescribing data, diagnosis records and mortality data. Researchers will use these linked datasets to track how people with AF are diagnosed, treated and managed over time, and to assess outcomes such as stroke, bleeding and dementia.
A key focus of the project will be to determine whether some groups of patients experience different standards of care or health outcomes. Researchers will explore variations linked to factors such as age, sex and ethnicity, helping to identify potential inequalities and opportunities for improvement.
The team will also investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on AF services.
Stroke remains one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability worldwide, affecting more than 12 million people each year. By improving understanding of how AF is managed across the healthcare system, the researchers hope to support more accurate risk assessment, optimise the use of anticoagulant therapies and strengthen strategies for preventing avoidable strokes.
Find out more
To find out more, read the project page