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Barts Health is taking part in a national clinical trial working to identify the safest and most effective blood-thinning treatment for patients recovering from heart valve surgery.

Each year, thousands of people in the UK, including patients across north east London, have surgery for mitral regurgitation, a common heart condition in which the mitral valve fails to close tightly, allowing blood to leak backward instead of pumping forward to the body. This forces the heart to work harder, which can lead to fatigue, shortness of breath and potential heart failure.

Patients who also have a heart rhythm issue usually need blood-thinning medication to reduce their risk of stroke or other complications after surgery. The AFFECT trial is designed to find out which blood-thinning treatment offers the best long-term outcomes for patients who have surgery for mitral regurgitation and also have a heart rhythm problem.

The study aims to recruit 1,282 adults having mitral valve repair surgery at cardiothoracic centres across the UK. Participants are randomly allocated to receive either the new type of blood thinning medicine known as a Direct Oral Anticoagulant, or the medicine currently recommended known as vitamin K antagonist. Treatment starts before patients leave hospital, and they are then closely monitored for at least 12 months, with further annual check-ups for up to four years.

At Barts Health, the trial is being led by Mr Dincer Aktuerk (pictured), consultant cardiothoracic surgeon and clinical lead for robotic and minimally invasive cardiac surgery at Barts Heart Centre, St Bartholomew's Hospital. He said:

We're delighted that Barts Health is taking part in the AFFECT trial as one of only 30 centres nationally. Trials like this allow us to treat our patients according to the best available evidence, rather than relying on personal preference. Findings from this research will help establish clear, evidence-based guidelines for anticoagulation after mitral valve repair, ensuring patients in north east London and across the country receive the safest and most effective care.

Barts Health is one of the sites recruiting for the AFFECT trial, a study funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and led nationally by the Academic Cardiovascular Unit at The James Cook University Hospital, part of University Hospitals Tees.

Eligible patients will be invited to take part by NHS staff looking after them.