HealthNews.in

Britain’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has recommended apixaban for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in some people with atrial fibrillation.

Aapixaban is a direct Xa inhibitor, and so does not require regular blood tests to monitor the blood’s clotting properties, unlike the most commonly used antithrombotic, warfarin.

Britain’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has approved the WatchBP Home A for use.

The machine is designed to be used regularly by patients at home to take their blood pressure and pulse, for example to diagnose or monitor treatment of high blood pressure. However, unlike normal blood pressure machines, it also includes an atrial fibrillation detection system.

The new recommendations highlight the benefits of being able to detect atrial fibrillation by chance when looking for high blood pressure. AFA estimates that around a third of people with AF have not been diagnosed.