Help Researchers Develop a Study for “As Needed” Use of Blood Thinners Using a Smart Watch
May 20, 2019
- Summary: Help researchers find new ways to prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation leveraging a smart watch
- Reading time: 1–2 minutes
A researcher at Northwestern University needs your help with a survey to find out about your experience with blood thinners and your interest in participating in a new study, if it is funded.
The study would compare the experiences of those taking blood thinners on a continuous basis with those wearing a smartwatch to identify when blood thinners may be needed.
Below is the information provided to us by the Northwestern University researcher. It includes a link to the survey, which is quick and easy to take. We appreciate your help with this survey. Please share it with others who have afib and can help with the survey, too.
We need your help to find new ways to prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation!
We are developing a study to identify new ways to prevent strokes in patients with atrial fibrillation and need your help. Atrial fibrillation can increase the risk of stroke in some patients. Current treatment for these patients is life-long, continuous “blood thinners” (anticoagulation) which have been shown to reduce the risk of stroke but can cause bleeding.
We are designing a new study that could use a commercially available “smart watch” that constantly monitors for atrial fibrillation to determine whether giving blood thinners only when needed (during and for a month after an episode of atrial fibrillation) is as effective and safer than continuous blood thinners.
To help design the study, which will be proposed to the National Institutes of Health (US) for funding, please complete the short survey below:
https://ucsf.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dp4bgjobirYIQwR
This survey was set up by researchers at the University of California at San Francisco (Health eHeart Study).