AI Article Synopsis
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) significantly increases the risk of stroke, especially among the elderly (≥75 years), making it a major public health issue as life expectancy rises.
- Warfarin is effective for preventing strokes in AF patients but is often underused in older adults due to concerns about hemorrhage risks, even though the benefits usually outweigh these risks.
- Newer oral anticoagulants like dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban are as effective as warfarin and have a lower risk of serious bleeding, making them preferable options for elderly patients with AF.
Article Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important cause of preventable, disabling stroke and is increasingly prevalent with advancing age. As life expectancies increase around the world, AF-related stroke is a growing global public health concern. Most AF patients are elderly (≥75 years old) and increasing age is a consistent independent risk factor for AF-associated stroke. Warfarin anticoagulation is highly effective for stroke prevention in AF patients, but is underutilized especially in the elderly. Although elderly patients are at increased risk of hemorrhage with oral anticoagulants, the benefit for ischemic stroke reduction exceeds the risk of hemorrhage for most elderly patients. Consequently, age alone should not be considered a contraindication for anticoagulation. Novel oral anticoagulants such as dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban are at least as effective as warfarin in preventing strokes in patients with AF. Relative to warfarin, these novel agents reduce the risk of intracranial hemorrhage, the most devastating complication of anticoagulation therapy in elderly AF patients. The novel oral anticoagulants are especially appealing for stroke prevention in elderly patients with AF.
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|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4107426 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40119-013-0019-y | DOI Listing |
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