Artial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac rhythm disorder and affects around 750,000 people in the UK. People with AF are at a five-fold increased risk for stroke and it is a major cause of the 150,000 strokes in the UK every year.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein that partially or totally blocks the flow of blood. In the UK, it is estimated that one in every 1,000 people are affected by venous thrombosis each year and currently patients with DVT require treatment with injections which can have a significant impact on a patient’s quality of life.

A recently launched range of treatments known as non vitamin K antagonists are now approved for use in the UK in blood clotting disorders such as AF and DVT and are an alternative to Warfarin. Warfarin is a highly effective stroke prevention therapy, but is subject to limitations including unpredictable blood clotting effects, the need for routine monitoring and interaction with a wide range of food and drink. The new treatments could prevent thousands of strokes per year and prevent deaths from DVT.