Dr. Amit Tosani
If your smartwatch told you if you needed to take your medication, would you wear it?
Researchers at Pittsburgh’s Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) are investigating that possibility with the help of clinical trial participants.
AGH is a U.S. investor in this study exploring how to use an Apple smartwatch to adjust daily oral anticoagulants (blood thinners) for a specific patient population diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AFib). One of the top registration sites. The REACT-AF trial, which stands for “Continuous Monitoring of Atrial Fibrillation for Anticoagulant Rhythm Assessment,” is led by researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and funded by the National Institutes of Health.
“Atrial fibrillation (known as AFib) is an irregular, often rapid heart rhythm that occurs in the upper chambers of the heart and can reduce blood flow, increase the risk of stroke, and cause symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, and fatigue. “It causes symptoms,” said Dr. Amit Tosani, an electrophysiologist leading the trial at AGH and director of the Mario Lemieux Heart Rhythm Disorders Center at Allegheny Health Network. “AFib slows overall blood flow, which can cause blood clots to form in the heart and travel to the brain, increasing the chance of a stroke. In severe cases, it can also cause heart failure.”
The American Heart Association estimates that by 2030, more than 12 million people will be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. Many patients are prescribed anticoagulants (blood thinners) as a stroke prevention treatment, which can have some side effects.
“Blood thinners are used to prevent blood clots from forming due to irregular heart rhythms and irregular blood flow,” says Tosani. “They are often prescribed to patients with atrial fibrillation to reduce the risk of stroke. In many cases, anticoagulants may be the treatment of choice for stroke prevention, but they are associated with an increased risk of bleeding. is also relevant.”
So how can smartwatches help these patients? In this trial, participants will wear an Apple smartwatch for 14 hours a day. These are paired with your iPhone and have built-in software that monitors irregular heart rhythms.
“If a patient has 30 consecutive days of arrhythmia symptoms lasting more than an hour, anticoagulants may be discontinued under clinical supervision,” Tosani said. “Analyzing this data allows us to better understand individual patterns and responses to blood thinners, allowing physicians to tailor doses and treatment plans for each patient.”
The study is recruiting patients who will be observed for up to five years. While some people will continue to take blood thinners for the study, the experimental group will stop their blood thinners and receive an Apple Watch that continuously monitors their atrial fibrillation every 15 minutes. To be eligible for the study, patients must be between the ages of 22 and 85, have a history of atrial fibrillation, own an iPhone, and be at low to moderate risk of stroke. be.
Tosani believes wearable technology holds promise for the future of medicine and clinical trials. “Clinical trials like REACT-AF are showing tangible results for heart disease patients and their health,” he says. “While there are many applications for using smartwatches to improve heart health, devices like this can help patients gain more understanding and information to improve their overall quality of life. The hope is that people will be able to take control of their health decisions.”
This trial targets the following patients:
They are between 22 and 85 years old.
Have a history of AFib.
I have an iPhone.
Low to moderate risk of stroke.
If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial, Thosani recommends talking to your cardiologist, calling 412-DOCTORS for more information, or making an appointment at the AHN Cardiovascular Institute.
