The World Heart Federation (WHF) has launched an international Roadmap to combat non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) in an effort to prevent and improve the care of this disease.

The WHF developed the program as a way to reduce the number of cardiovascular diseases from countries all around the world. The Roadmap will be developed for each country, in the hopes of creating more personalized and integrated care platforms for different regions.

"A substantial proportion of non-valvular atrial fibrillation goes undetected because there are no symptoms. Undetected AF increases the risk and severity of stroke and heart failure and is linked to high costs incurred by individuals, healthcare systems and economies across the world,” said David Wood, President Elect of the WHF. "Our Roadmap identifies areas where improvements can be made that will lead to better management of AF on a global scale, especially in low and middle income countries where research suggests patients tend to be younger and more likely to experience heart failure."

By providing methods for early detection and improved treatments of AF, the Roadmap has many goals it hopes to accomplish to decrease the rate of AF around the world. These goals include:

• Increase the accessibility to early detection screening for those in rural areas.
• Making oral anticoagulants more affordable.
• Improving the management of anticoagulants in patients.
• Increasing patient engagement in their care and reducing dependence on clinicians.
• Improving health information systems around the world.