A PILOT project aiming to increase diagnosis of a heart condition that raises the risk of a stroke has potential to save lives and NHS funds, experts say.

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) causes an irregular and abnormally fast heart rate and affects around one million people in the UK, with a further 474,000 estimated to be living with the condition undiagnosed.

A three-month project was launched which saw 45 podiatrist from across North Durham, Darlington, Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield CCGs trained to spot heart rate irregularities when taking pulse readings through diabetic patients’ feet during their annual screening appointments.

The aim is to reduce the number of strokes and deaths in the region by treating AF as early as possible.

Its findings revealed that of the 15,873 patients tested, ten were identified with previously unknown AF.

Researchers say that if scaled up to run for a 12-month period, the project could potentially identify 40 new AF patients across the region and could prevent two strokes per year – an NHS cost-saving of £46,630.

Extrapolated across all of the North-East and North Cumbria’s CCG areas, an estimated 200 patients annually could be identified with AF, with an extra ten strokes potentially being prevented.

Leading the podiatry and AF project, Linda Hicks, Podiatrist at Country Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust, said: “Staff have been very tuned into the programme and recognise it as their clinical responsibility to help spot AF. Evidence indicates that those with untreated or sub-optimally treated AF are at higher risk of developing a stroke - with those that do requiring inpatient, post discharge, rehabilitation and long term care services - costing an estimated £23,315 per patient.”

The research is part of a wider AF programme run by the Academic Health Science Network for the North East and North Cumbria (AHSN NENC) and the Northern England Clinical Networks .

Professor Oliver James, Medical Director, AHSN NENC, said the hope is to engage with more podiatry specialists across the region in order to encourage further adoption of the pulse-test.