International longitudinal registry of patients with atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke: Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD (GARFIELD)

• Published in: The American heart journal Vol. 163; no. 1; pp. 13 - 19.e1
• Main Authors: Kakkar, Ajay K., Mueller, Iris, Bassand, Jean-Pierre, Fitzmaurice, David A., Goldhaber, Samuel Z., Goto, Shinya, Haas, Sylvia, Hacke, Werner, Lip, Gregory Y.H., Mantovani, Lorenzo G., Verheugt, Freek W.A., Jamal, Waheed, Misselwitz, Frank, Rushton-Smith, Sophie, Turpie, Alexander G.G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.01.2012; Mosby; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Anticoagulants; Anticoagulants - administration & dosage; Atrial Fibrillation - complications; Atrial Fibrillation - drug therapy; Atrial Fibrillation - mortality; Biological and medical sciences; Blood clots; Blood. Blood coagulation. Reticuloendothelial system; Cardiac dysrhythmias; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular; Clinical medicine; Cohort Studies; Global Health; Heart; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Medical sciences; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Neurology; Patient Selection; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Prospective Studies; Recruitment; Registries; Research Design; Risk Factors; Stroke; Stroke - complications; Stroke - drug therapy; Stroke - mortality; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; Veins & arteries; Human; Nervous system diseases; Stroke; Arrhythmia; Atrial fibrillation; Patient; Cardiovascular disease; Risk; Anticoagulant; Excitability disorder; Cerebral disorder; Vascular disease; Heart disease; Central nervous system disease; Risk factor; Circulatory system; Cardiology; Cerebrovascular disease; International
• ISSN: 0002-8703; 1097-6744; 1097-6744
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2011.09.011

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Patients with AF carry a fivefold increased risk of stroke and the risk of death from AF-related stroke is doubled. Current management is often inadequate, leaving patients at risk for a potentially fatal or disabling event. The purpose of the GARFIELD registry is to evaluate the management and outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular AF at risk for stroke. The GARFIELD registry is an observational, multicenter, prospective study of patients with newly diagnosed AF and one or more additional risk factors for stroke. The aim is to enroll 55,000 patients at >1,000 centers in 50 countries. Enrollment will take place in five independent, sequential, prospective cohorts. An additional retrospective validation cohort of 5,000 patients with established AF and at least one additional risk factor for stroke will be conducted in parallel with cohort one. The study started in December 2009, with a planned recruitment period of 4 years and a minimum of 2-year follow-up for each patient. The GARFIELD registry will provide valuable insights into the clinical management and related outcomes of AF patients throughout many regions of the world and across the spectrum of healthcare systems. By capturing data from unselected patients treated in everyday practice, the registry has the potential to identify best practices as well as deficiencies in available treatment options for specific patient populations and to describe how therapeutic strategies, patient care, and outcomes will evolve over time.