For the first time, researchers have mapped the rate at which stroke risks rise in younger patients who have atrial fibrillation but who didn’t need treatment when they were diagnosed. The research provides important information that could help doctors follow up these patients appropriately. Atrial fibrillation (AF), a heart condition, is a strong risk factor […]
Why people decide not to take part in screening: learning from the SAFER trial
People who turned down the offer of screening for a little-known but common heart condition called atrial fibrillation (AF) made reasoned decisions not to take part, based on their own personal situations as well as their views and ideas about screening itself. New research from the University of Cambridge’s Department of Public Health and Primary […]
Funds allocated to extend SAFER trial
The SAFER programme of research, investigating screening to detect atrial fibrillation, was awarded a funding extension by the National Institute for Health and Care Research in 2023. The SAFER research programme will now be funded to March 2028. The extension was necessary because of delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the limited capacity of […]
Why people take part in screening for atrial fibrillation: insights from the SAFER trial
People who decided to take part in screening for atrial fibrillation, a common heart condition, believed strongly in the benefits of screening, according to new research. The in-depth study of 23 participants in the SAFER trial of screening for atrial fibrillation (AF) looks at why these participants opted in and provides insight into their understanding of the […]
SAFER trial to launch in Australia to prevent disabling strokes
The UK SAFER study of screening for undiagnosed atrial fibrillation in older adults will launch in Australia, in an extension called SAFER-AUS. The Australia Heart Research Institute’s Professor Ben Freedman, Dr Nicole Lowres and Dr Katrina Giskes have received a significant Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) grant that is poised to transform Australia’s stroke-related healthcare. […]
Could screening for a common heart condition called atrial fibrillation help prevent strokes?
Could screening for atrial fibrillation – an underdiagnosed heart condition – help prevent strokes? Researchers from the University of Cambridge, leading a consortium of academic partners, are beginning work this month in East Anglia on the largest trial to date of screening for atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a heart condition that causes an […]