deCODE AF™

A DNA-based test enabling stroke prevention through more effective screening for atrial fibrillation. Targets outpatient Holter monitoring towards those stroke patients most likely to have intermittent AF. Treating AF patients with warfarin reduces their risk of stroke by 70%.

Screening and prevention

How deCODE AF™ can help.

Diagnosing a larger proportion of AF

Between 15 and 20 percent of all strokes are cardiogenic, the subtype with the highest morbidity and mortality. Atrial fibrillation is the leading cause of cardiogenic stroke, but because it is often intermittent it is under diagnosed and undertreated in those who receive only in-patient cardiac monitoring following a stroke.

Targeted screening

Monitoring all ischemic stroke patients in an ambulatory setting may be considered impractical or too expensive. deCODE AF™ addresses this problem by identifying those stroke patients who are more likely to have AF. These patients may therefore benefit most from outpatient cardiac monitoring.

Better prevention

Two studies have shown that an extra week of ambulatory cardiac monitoring using an automated digital event recorder following a stroke may identify AF in another 5.6-14.3% of stroke survivors. For those in whom AF is detected, treatment with warfarin can reduce the risk of a secondary AF-related stroke by 70%.

AF is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia and is the leading cause of cardiogenic stroke.

Only an estimated 2.3 million American adults have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, but the risk of developing this condition after the age of 40 has been found to be 20-25% in individuals of European and East Asian descent^(16,17).

AF is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heart rhythm, and is the leading cause of cardiogenic stroke. Between 15 and 20 percent of all strokes are cardiogenic, the subtype with the highest morbidity and mortality

Stroke is a leading cause of disability and death, and its burden on the healthcare system is increasing with the aging of the population. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the leading cause of cardiogenic stroke, the subtype of the disease with the highest morbidity and mortality

Risk factors for developing AF

Age: Atrial fibrillation becomes significantly more common with increasing age. It is relatively rare in individuals younger than 60 (less than 1%) but common in those older than 80 (over 10% in Caucasians).

Cardiovascular disorders: High blood pressure is the most common condition associated with atrial fibrillation and is a very important risk factor. Heart failure and heart valve disease are other disorders often associated with AF and AF is very commonly seen following heart surgery.

Other: Several other conditions are known to cause episodes of atrial fibrillation. These include hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), pulmonary embolus (blood clot in the lung), alcohol, stimulants such as cocaine or decongestants, surgeries, infections and other acute illnesses. Other factors that have been shown to increase the risk of AF include obesity and the sleep apnea syndrome.

Genetics: Several distinct regions of the genome and gene mutations have been linked to atrial fibrillation in individuals and families but these appear to be rare causes. On the other hand, several common genetic variants have been identified that increase the general population risk of developing AF.

This content was last reviewed on March 16, 2011.