Reminders and planning to help people with atrial fibrillation take blood thinners
Tests text reminders and a medication calendar in adults with atrial fibrillation.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Nudging for Anticoagulation Adherence in Atrial Fibrillation
Key facts
- Where
- Gu'ang'zhou, ChinaSee the site
Where in China
- Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen UniversityGu'ang'zhou, ChinaNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Sun Yat-sen University
- Trial code
- NCT07543393
- Record updated
- 26 June 2026
- Original description
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a nudging intervention (using text message reminders, a medication calendar, and action planning) can help people with atrial fibrillation take their blood-thinning medication (anticoagulants) as prescribed.Read full original descriptionShow less
The Effects of Nudging Intervention in Promoting Adherence to Anticoagulation Among Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: a Randomized Controlled Trail
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a nudging intervention (using text message reminders, a medication calendar, and action planning) can help people with atrial fibrillation take their blood-thinning medication (anticoagulants) as prescribed.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does the nudging intervention improve medication adherence compared to usual care?
How does the intervention affect patients' beliefs about their medication and the automaticity of pill-taking?
Is the intervention cost-effective?
Researchers will compare participants who receive the nudging intervention with those who receive usual care.
Participants will:
Watch a short educational video about atrial fibrillation and stroke prevention
Make a personal plan to take their medication at the same time each day (for example, after breakfast)
Receive text message reminders 1 to 3 times per week, with fewer messages over time
Get a medication calendar to track daily doses
Answer a few questionnaires at the start, at 8 weeks, and at 12 weeks
Inclusion: Age ≥18 years; Diagnosed with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) confirmed by medical records; Prescribed oral anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin, rivaroxaban, apixaban, dabigatran, edoxaban) for at least 3 months; Own a personal mobile phone capable of receiving SMS messages; Willing and able to provide written informed consent.
Exclusion: Severe cognitive impairment or psychiatric disorder that would preclude completion of questionnaires or adherence to the intervention; Life expectancy <6 months due to comorbid conditions; Currently enrolled in another medication adherence intervention study; Unable to read or understand Chinese (since validated Chinese scales are used).