Artificial Intelligence may help to spot heart problems

An article published in the Lancet looked at diagnosing AF which is is frequently asymptomatic and thus underdetected but is associated with stroke, heart failure, and death.  Existing screening methods require prolonged monitoring and are limited by cost and low yield. They looked at whether a rapid, inexpensive, point-of-care means of identifying these patients with atrial fibrillation using machine learning could be developed. 

Researchers said it was still early days, but believe the system could lead to earlier and easier detection of the problem and, therefore, ensure patients get the right treatment, saving lives. The abstract is available at https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)31721-0/fulltext and was featured on the bbc website at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-49170285

Thrombosis UK Patient Information Survey Help Needed

CLOT have been asked by Thrombosis UK for help with a survey around providing patients with information around thrombosis diagnosis, treatment and risk factors. If members could please help by completing the survey by clicking on the link below Thanks.

Thrombosis UK is seeking to make available medically approved VTE patient information resources to UK hospitals. We would value your opinion on the content / style and design of the resources and have prepared a very short survey to seek your comments.

Please could you take just a few minutes (only 5 questions!), to complete the questionnaire enabling us to provide the suitable VTE patient materials for hospital centres.

 

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eghwinoljynjmm3n/a00xjyps5yvc/questions

Responses to NICE guidance around mandatory 7 day Prophylaxis

There were two letters published in the British Journal of Haematology around the new guidance from NICE NG 89 to give all patients a minimum of 7 days prophylaxis looking at the cost and whether there is any evidence to support such a change. The articles are available at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjh.16010 and

 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjh.16007#.XPjVkAWpX-c.twitter

This was also discussed at the CLOT BSH session in Glasgow last year with an overwhelming vote that the new NICE guidance does not improve on previous guidance. If any centres are following this guidance would be great if you could contact CLOT or give your thoughts on this change.

New device cuts risk of deadly blood clots in stroke patients, study finds

This article was published in the Independent newspaper on the 22nd April 2019 which highlights that the device which sends electrical impulses down the legs of stroke patients can reduce the risk of deadly blood clots compared to standard treatment, new research shows.

The article is available at https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/geko-blood-clots-stroke-patients-cut-reduce-electric-impulses-study-a8880261.html

 

Rivaroxaban for Thromboprophylaxis after Hospitalization for Medical Illness

Interesting article in view of the updated NICE guidance around mandatory 7 day VTE prophylaxis for all patients looking at whether giving 45 days of prophyaxis significantly reduces hospital acquired VTE and what is the bleed risk associated with this. The abstract is available at 

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1805090

For NHS staff should be able to access full article using Athens sign in. The CLOT session at the BSH in Glasgow this year is a further debate whether the new NICE guidelines improve on previous plan to attend https://www.bshconferences.co.uk/

 

More Articles ...