A team of international healthcare researchers is developing a new software tool that could transform how older adults with atrial fibrillation (AF) and other chronic health problems are cared for.
Atrial fibrillation is a common heart rhythm disorder that affects more than 40 million people worldwide and is especially common among the elderly. It often coexists with other serious health conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, kidney disease, and heart failure, which can complicate treatment and increase the risk of serious outcomes.
To address this, researchers from the EHRA-PATHS project, led by the European Society of Cardiology and the European Heart Rhythm Association, are working on a standardized, integrated care approach.
Their goal is to help healthcare providers better manage not just AF itself, but the many related conditions—called comorbidities—that can worsen a patient’s health.
Earlier surveys showed that many doctors find it difficult to refer AF patients for specialized care for these related conditions because of the lack of a coordinated system. In response, the EHRA-PATHS team identified 22 common comorbidities in AF patients and developed clear care pathways for each one.
These pathways are now being built into an easy-to-use software tool designed to help healthcare providers detect, assess, and treat these other health issues in a more organized and effective way.
The software is currently being tested in a large clinical study across 65 hospitals in 14 European countries. In the first part of the study, the team will observe how about 1,300 patients aged 65 and older with newly diagnosed AF are currently being treated.
The second part is a randomized controlled trial involving 1,080 patients, where doctors will compare usual care with care supported by the new software.
The trial will focus on 12 key health issues that commonly occur alongside AF, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart failure, obesity, diabetes, smoking, kidney problems, and lung conditions like asthma and COPD.
It will also look at lifestyle factors such as physical activity and alcohol use. By taking all of these into account, the tool aims to create a more personalized and effective care plan for each patient.
If successful, this new approach could lead to better outcomes for patients, including fewer complications, improved quality of life, and fewer hospital visits. It could also help overburdened healthcare systems by reducing the need for emergency care and hospital stays.
In the meantime, there are things individuals can do to lower their risk of developing heart rhythm problems like atrial fibrillation:
- Maintain a healthy weight to reduce strain on the heart.
- Exercise regularly to keep your heart strong and blood pressure in check.
- Manage conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes with proper medication and lifestyle changes.
- Avoid smoking and limit alcohol, as both can trigger irregular heart rhythms.
- Control stress, which can have harmful effects on your heart.
- Get regular health check-ups to catch any risk factors early.
This software project, led by Professor Hein Heidbuchel and colleagues, is part of a growing movement toward smarter, more connected care for complex patients. With age and chronic illness often going hand in hand, solutions like these could make a big difference for millions of people living with atrial fibrillation and other conditions.
If you care about heart health, please read studies that vitamin K helps cut heart disease risk by a third, and a year of exercise reversed worrisome heart failure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about supplements that could help prevent heart disease, stroke, and results showing this food ingredient may strongly increase heart disease death risk.
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