NHS England has said that as many as 20,000 strokes and 5,000 deaths could be averted after NHS England struck new agreements to expand life-saving blood thinning drugs.

The NHS will now dramatically scale up the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) with as many as 610,000 more patients set to benefit over the next three years. The drugs prevent strokes by treating and preventing blood clots in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), a condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate.

NHS England’s new agreement will make DOACs more affordable, allowing the local NHS to provide them to 610,000 more patients. Uptake of DOAC treatment at this level will help to prevent an estimated 21,700 stokes and save the lives of 5,400 patients from a fatal outcome over the next three years.

Up to £40 million investment will also be made in ‘Detect, Protect and Perfect’ pathway initiatives which will also help identify people with AF and move them onto effective and appropriate treatment.

As well as expanding the use of direct oral anticoagulants NHSX is also using cutting edge technology to diagnose those with potentially fatal heart conditions, the NHS England chief executive has told the NHS Providers conference. In a pilot, more than 5,000 people have been given wearable patches that use AI technology to analyse their heart rate, diagnosing potentially fatal conditions. The technology provides clinicians with all the information they need to make a quick diagnosis and start treatment without the need for patients to undergo lots of tests and hospital visits.

Amanda Pritchard, NHS Englan chief executive, said: “The agreements struck by NHS England will save thousands of lives and prevent many more people suffering the debilitating effects of strokes by making this treatment available to hundreds of thousands more patients. The health service now has a proven track record of striking deals with manufacturers to ensure patients in England get cutting-edge care at a price which offers best value for taxpayers.

“As we continue to emerge from the pandemic, tackle the backlogs of care which have been created and maintain momentum in the NHS Covid vaccination programme, we are also determined to keep delivering more innovation and greater efficiency in patients’ care.”