More than a million people in the UK could benefit from a drug hailed as the biggest step forward in blood thinning treatments for 50 years, research suggests.

Dabigatran etexilate, marketed as Pradaxa, significantly reduces the risk of stroke in all patients with the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation,trial results showed.

The drug was found to be more effective than the widely used drug warfarin. It is also much easier to manage without accidentally administering the wrong dose.

A final decision from European regulators expected in the next few months will determine how Pradaxa can be used in the UK.

AF, characterised by haphazard heartbeats, is a leading risk factor for stroke and affects 1.2 million people in the UK.

Around 150,000 Britons suffer a stroke each year, 15 per cent of which are a direct result of AF.

The trial findings were presented today at the annual scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology in New Orleans.

They showed that Pradaxa reduced stroke risk by between 30 per cent and 39 per cent in patients with three different types of AF. Martin Cowie, professor from the Royal Brompton Hospital, London, said: “Every year in the UK, 20,000 people have a stroke related to atrial fibrillation, a stroke that is often devastating. It is of utmost importance that AF patients are identified and measures are taken to thin their blood. There hasn’t been a new oral anticoagulant in Europe approved for more than 50 years.

“Dabigatran etexilate could provide an invaluable option for patients suffering from all AF types.”

Trudie Lobban, chief executive officer of the Atrial Fibrillation Association, said: “These data provide strong evidence supporting the use of dabigatran etexilate for preventing stroke in patients with AF.

“Patients with AF have waited a long time for an alternative to warfarin. Dabigatran etexilate has the potential not only to improve stroke prevention but also to greatly improve people’s quality of life.”

Peter Coleman, deputy director of research at The Stroke Association said: “Warfarin is a highly effective treatment for stroke prevention, but it is often underused by GPs and health professionals, mainly because of safety concerns or because patients have to have regular blood tests to monitor its effects.

“In some recent research conducted for The Stroke Association only 40 per cent of GPs said they would treat AF patients with warfarin.

“There is a definite need for a useful, alternative treatment to warfarin which can be used when warfarin is not appropriate.

“The findings from this study provide a strong, positive backing for dabigatran etexilate which appears to be an easier treatment to manage and therefore has the potential to improve the quality of life for many people. We’re very interested to see how this potential treatment progresses.”

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