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%.

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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%.

References

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