Trial aims to reduce hospitalisation and improve survival for heart disease patients

16 Apr 2014
Trial aims to reduce hospitalisation and improve survival for heart disease patients

A major collaborative study in Australia and New Zealandthe CAAN-AF trial, will aim to reduce hospital admissions and provide a better quality of life by evaluating two methods of treatment for those suffering with heart failure and an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation.

Heart failure affects thousands of Australians and it frequently co-exists with atrial fibrillation, an extremely common heart arrhythmia that causes over 30,000 Australians per annum to be hospitalised.

The University of Adelaide’s Knapman Chair of Cardiology Research, Professor Prash Sanders is the lead investigator and responsible for approximately 35 sites at major cardiac centres throughout Australia and New Zealand.

This is the first trial of its type to be conducted by electrical cardiologists in the Asia Pacific region and will be managed by the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI).

“The combination of heart failure and atrial fibrillation presents considerable challenges in our day to day clinical practice. The results of this study will have global implications,” Professor Sanders said.

CAAN-AF needs to recruit 590 eligible patients to participate in this trial over a two-year period. The trial outcomes have the potential to change the way this group of patients will be managed in the future and will help improve the survival of patients with heart failure.

Due to the lack of scientific evidence or guidelines in how to manage this select group of patients, a well-conducted randomised trial is required. The outcome of this trial will change clinical practice.

Patients who believe that they are eligible for the trial are encouraged to discuss their cardiologist. For further information please contact: Professor Prash Sanders on (08) 8222 2723.

Media contacts

Bridgette Whittle, SAHMRI, ph 0434 072 866

David Ellis, University of Adelaide, ph 0421 612 762