How do arrhythmias and conduction disturbances contribute to death or rehospitalisation in patients discharged following an admission with acute heart failure? A prospective, observational, multi-centre cohort-study
Heart failure is a serious condition that, in 2015, affects nearly half a million people in the UK. We know that many people with heart failure experience abnormal heart rhythms – be that too fast, too slow, and/or irregular – which can be fatal. However, most of our knowledge about these rhythms in heart failure comes from single ECG recordings that only give a snapshot of information. And although we know that some heart rhythm disturbances are dangerous, we’re not sure about the significance of others. Doctors need to understand more about the relationship between irregular heart rhythms and what they mean for people living with heart failure. In this study, 500 heart failure patients in Scottish hospitals will be asked if they agree to have a new device called an injectable cardiac monitor (ICM). An ICM is tiny, and can be easily implanted under a person's skin to record their heart rhythm over long periods of time. Heart failure patients participating in the study will be followed up by the researchers for at least two years to monitor their heart rhythm. It is hoped that this study will uncover whether abnormal heart rhythms precede – and therefore predict - problems that cause people to be admitted to hospital, or death. If they are shown to be a warning sign, this could help doctors intervene and give treatments that might prevent deterioration for people with heart failure.
Project details
| Grant amount | £464,565 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Clinical Studies |
| Application type | Clinical Study |
| Start Date | 01 August 2017 |
| Duration | 4 years, 6 months |
| Reference | CS/17/4/33009 |
| Status | In Progress |
