‘Put people with heart flutter on blood-thinning drugs’

More than 1.5 million patients should be taking medication to lower risk of stroke, say researchers

MORE than 1.5million people with a heart “flutter” should be given bloodthinning drugs to prevent strokes, according to research.

A study has found that even patients whose atrial fibrillation is classed as “resolved” have a significantly increased risk of stroke. Its authors say doctors take people off anticoagulants too quickly once symptoms disappear.

They also warn that the number of patients whose condition has been officially designated as “resolved” has gone up substantially since 2000.

Anticoagulants such as warfarin can reduce the extra risk of stroke by around two-thirds. But the research suggests that around 130,000 high-risk patients are not receiving such drugs.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common form of heart rhythm disturbance in the UK, presenting as feelings of a pounding, fluttering or irregularly beating heart. In total, around 1.6million people have at some point been diagnosed.

The condition increases the chance of a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) fivefold.

The study, published in The BMJ, shows for the first time that the risk among those with “resolved” atrial fibrillation is almost as high. Patients placed in the “resolved” category are also removed from a GPS’ register designed to ensure that cases are regularly reviewed.

Dr Krish Nirantharakumar, who worked on the study at the University of Birmingham, said: “Our research demonstrates that although people with resolved atrial fibrillation continue to be at high risk of stroke, they are not getting their prevention drugs.

“Worryingly, we found that the problem seems to be becoming more common, with our research showing an increasing number of people are recorded as having atrial fibrillation as resolved and are highly unlikely to be given medication to prevent stroke.”

The researchers analysed patient records from 640 GP practices throughout the UK. They found that in 2016, one in 10 patients – around 160,000 people – were classed as having had their condition resolved. That compared to less than one per cent in 2000.

Official guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence give no explicit guidance on how to treat patients whose atrial fibrillation appears to have resolved itself.

Professor Tom Marshall, also of Birmingham University, said it was possible that cases were being mistakenly classed as “resolved” and patients were then falling “off the radar”.