Standard versus atrial fibrillation-specific management strategy (SAFETY) to reduce recurrent admission and prolong survival: pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial

Simon Stewart; Jocasta Ball; John D Horowitz; Thomas H Marwick; Gnanadevan Mahadevan; Chiew Wong; Walter P Abhayaratna; Yih K Chan; Adrian Esterman; David R Thompson; Paul A Scuffham; Melinda J Carrington

Journal article

Standard versus atrial fibrillation-specific management strategy (SAFETY) to reduce recurrent admission and prolong survival: pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial

Simon Stewart, Jocasta Ball, John D Horowitz, Thomas H Marwick, Gnanadevan Mahadevan, Chiew Wong, Walter P Abhayaratna, Yih K Chan, Adrian Esterman, David R Thompson, Paul A Scuffham, Melinda J Carrington

LANCET | ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC | Published : 2015

DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61992-9

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Patients are increasingly being admitted with chronic atrial fibrillation, and disease-specific management might reduce recurrent admissions and prolong survival. However, evidence is scant to support the application of this therapeutic approach. We aimed to assess SAFETY--a management strategy that is specific to atrial fibrillation. METHODS: We did a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial in patients admitted with chronic, non-valvular atrial fibrillation (but not heart failure). Patients were recruited from three tertiary referral hospitals in Australia. 335 participants were randomly assigned by computer-generated schedule (stratified for rhythm or rate control) ..

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