DETECT AF
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Identifying undiagnosed Atrial Fibrillation in older adults attending dental clinics
IRAS ID
311299
Contact name
Lis Neubeck
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Edinburgh Napier University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Atrial fibrillation affects approximately 5% of those aged 65 years and older. Unrecognised atrial fibrillation is generally not associated with symptoms and raised resting heart rate. Those with unrecognised atrial fibrillation usually have stroke risk scores high enough to warrant anticoagulation treatment to prevent blood clots. Furthermore, registry data suggests that the incidence of atrial fibrillation may be much higher in a population who have periodontal disease, which may suggest that there are appreciable numbers who would benefit from early recognition of atrial fibrillation through simple detection programmes.
This study includes two phases. The first phase is a cross-sectional study that aims to determine the feasibility and impact of dentistry-based screening, using innovative technology, focused on identifying people with undiagnosed atrial fibrillation, with onward referral to their GP for appropriate medical management. The second phase is a qualitative study that aims to explore the role of dentists in ongoing management of atrial fibrillation, as well their role in raising atrial fibrillation awareness in the public.
The findings of this study will have broad implications for the general population aged 65 years and older with undiagnosed atrial fibrillation. We anticipate that the study will demonstrate that it is possible to identify and treat people in the community, not identified due to COVID-19 restrictions, who were not previously known to have atrial fibrillation, thus greatly reducing the risk of stroke. Findings from this study will inform the design and refinement of a future intervention for large-scale research and implementation.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/YH/0049
Date of REC Opinion
1 Mar 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion