Edinburgh Napier University

  Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common abnormal heart rhythm affecting more than 1-million people in Scotland. People with AF are five-times more likely to have a stroke and twice as likely to die, compared to those without AF. Strokes caused by AF are more likely to be severely disabling than strokes of other causes, a devastating event for individuals and their families. A medication that prevents blood clots from forming (an oral anticoagulant), reduces this risk by two-thirds. 75% of people with AF do not take their medication as recommended either because they do not understand or believe in their medications, or forget. We aim to develop and evaluate a digital intervention that will help people take recommended medications. This would help reduce risk of stroke, thereby preventing disability and death in people with AF.