Grant: Project Grant

Atrial fibrillation (Afib) is a type of irregular heart rhythm that is common in Canada. Patients with Afib are at much higher risk of stroke than those without Afib. Stroke can lead to disability or death, so it is crucial to prevent it in those at risk. A group of medications called "anticoagulants" are very effective for preventing stroke in AFib patients, but they can't work if they are not taken reliably by patients. Our goal is to provide an understanding of how big this problem is so we can help protect Canadians against preventable strokes and deaths. To achieve this goal, we will study health data (e.g. prescriptions, physician billing records, hospital records) of all Afib patients in British Columbia since 1996. We will study their patterns of medication taking to identify how many of the AF patients are early quitters, late quitters, perfect users, and those who miss many of their doses. We will also identify which kinds of patients follow each pattern so we can better know how to provide the right patients with the right kinds of help to improve their medication taking. We will then study how many strokes and deaths are caused by problems with medication-taking (stopping, taking it unreliably) and the resulting costs to the healthcare system. Our research team includes clinicians, researchers and policy makers who have extensive experience working with AF patients and doing this type of research. Our research will provide much-needed evidence to clinicians, patients, and policymakers to better protect patients with AF against avoidable strokes and deaths.