Atrial Fibrillation
Conditions
Keywords
Atrial Fibrillation, Health Related Quality of Life, Nurse Practitioner, Sustainable Models of Healthcare, Patient Satisfaction
Brief summary
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm disease characterized by an irregular heart rhythm of the top part (atria) of the heart. It may cause unpleasant symptoms as well as increases the person's risk of stroke and heart failure. With an ageing population, increasing rates of AF and limited access to specialists, new methods of care, like nurse practitioners (NP) need to be assessed to meet patient specific needs and provide sustainable care. The objective of the project is to evaluate the effect of Nurse Practitioner-led care in people with AF on their quality of life. The Canadian Healthcare system is overwhelmed, with increasing costs and wait times. Contributing to these issues, is AF is the most common arrhythmia accompanied with costly complications including stroke and heart failure. Currently family or emergency room physicians ask general cardiologists or specialized cardiologists, to provide care to patients with AF. Unfortunately, there is limited access to their services. NP's are nurses who have taken extra education at University to treat patients and prescribe medications. This research project involves an NP who has specialized training in AF patient management. By utilizing an NP to provide care for patients with AF, the investigators hope to improve patient's quality of life and satisfaction with care. This may also reduce complications of AF.
Interventions
OTHERNurse Practitioner Led-Care
Diagnosis and treatment plan decisions will be determined by Nurse Practitioner Led-Care.
OTHERCardiologist Led-Care
Diagnosis and treatment plan decisions will be determined as per usual care by the Cardiologist
Sponsors
University Hospital Foundation
University of Alberta
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* 18 years or older * Documented non valvular atrial fibrillation * Able to provide informed consent * Able and willing to complete the study questionnaires on own or with assistance
Exclusion criteria
* Referral is for atrioventricular node ablation or pulmonary vein isolation. * Patients who have failed antiarrhythmic medications * Patients with moderate to severe mitral or aortic valvular heart disease * Clinically unstable atrial fibrillation * Cannot or unwilling to attend follow-up appointments
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Difference in change in Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of Life (AFEQT) scores between groups | At 6 months |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Difference in change in EQ-5D scores between groups | At 6 months |
| Difference in composite outcomes of death from cardiovascular causes, cardiovascular hospitalization and emergency room visits between groups | At 6 months |
| Satisfaction with NP-led or cardiologist care as measured by the overall mean score of the Consultant Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSG). | At 6 months |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed