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About Beat the Rhythm (BTR)
Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia, present in 6% of the population in Western countries. The presence of atrial fibrillation significantly increases the risk of diseases (heart failure, stroke, dementia) and reduces the quality of life, making a substantial impact on the patient, healthcare costs, and society. Current care for atrial fibrillation heavily focuses on ablation, a surgical procedure to restore rhythm. Unfortunately, within 1 year, atrial fibrillation recurs in 25-50% of these patients. This necessitates new, effective ways to reduce symptoms associated with atrial fibrillation.
This project combines cross-border experience around ablation (EVK Düsseldorf, Median AGZ Düsseldorf), exercise (Radboudumc), and telemedicine (Rijnstate), leading to: 1. the implementation of a telemedicine platform after ablation, and 2. an expertise center for atrial fibrillation. Recently, we found that exercise reduces the likelihood of premature death and diseases in patients with atrial fibrillation. In current healthcare, exercise plays only a limited role for patients with atrial fibrillation. Therefore, we want to collectively implement exercise in the home setting. This project shares cross-border knowledge, experience, and expertise, leading to a telemedicine platform focused on exercise (in the home setting) and an expertise center for atrial fibrillation. This results in: 1. Reduced disease burden, 2. Fewer complications, 3. Cost savings, and 4. Reduced workload for healthcare personnel.
In promoting a healthy lifestyle, we focus on walking as an intervention for patients with atrial fibrillation. Walking is low cost and accessible and provides low-to-moderate endurance exercise. We will first investigate the effects on atrial fibrillation during the 4-day Marches, an annual walking event in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Thereafter we will set up a randomized controlled trial in which we aim to implement walking as an exercise intervention in the home setting of patients with atrial fibrillation.
This is a cross-border collaborative project, and we welcome additional collaboration with other parties interested in this field. For more information regarding potential collaborations, please contact Prof. Dr. Dick Thijssen.
For whom?
This project involves patients with atrial fibrillation.
The study that will be performed during the 4-day Marches study involves patients with a diagnosis of AF, half of who will participate in the 4-day Marches of 2025, and the other half will serve as a control group. For the randomized controlled trial we will include patients who are on the waiting list for ablation.
Treatment
During the randomized controlled trial we will investigate the effects of walking exercise during the months prior to ablation, on recurrence rates post-ablation. This will be a home-based walking intervention performed and monitored via telemonitoring.
Participating hospitals
- Radboudumc
- Rijnstate
- EVK Düsseldorf
- Median AGZ Düsseldorf
Names of researchers
Radboudumc:
- Drs. Liz van Hout
- Dr. Thijs Eijsvogels
- Prof. Dr. Maria Hopman
- Prof. Dr. Dick Thijssen
EVK Düsseldorf:
- Drs. Ann-Kathrin Kahle
- Dr. Katharina Scherschel
- Dr. Christian Meyer
Questions?
For questions please contact Prof. Dr. Dick Thijssen.
