Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: Where are We Now?
Atrial fibrillation is the commonest arrhythmia worldwide and is a growing problem. AF is responsible for 25% of all strokes, and these patients suffer greater mortality and disability. Warfarin has traditionally been the only successful therapy for stroke prevention, but its limitations have result...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2012-01-01
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| Series: | Clinical Medicine Insights: Cardiology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4137/CMC.S8976 |
| _version_ | 1828428833656668160 |
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| author | Yousif Ahmad Gregory Y.H. Lip |
| author_facet | Yousif Ahmad Gregory Y.H. Lip |
| author_sort | Yousif Ahmad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Atrial fibrillation is the commonest arrhythmia worldwide and is a growing problem. AF is responsible for 25% of all strokes, and these patients suffer greater mortality and disability. Warfarin has traditionally been the only successful therapy for stroke prevention, but its limitations have resulted in underutilisation. Major progress has been made in AF research, leading to improved management strategies. Better risk stratification permits identification of truly low-risk patients who do not require anticoagulation and we are able to simplify ourevaluation of a patient's bleeding risk. The advent of novel anticoagulants means warfarin is no longer the only choice for stroke prophylaxis. These drugs circumvent many of warfarin's inconveniences, but only long-term study and use will conclusively demonstrate how they compare to warfarin. The landscape of stroke prevention in AF has changed with effective alternatives to warfarin available for the first time in 60 years—but each new option brings new considerations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T17:23:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9a5d3ae44d83476284af59199486d823 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1179-5468 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T17:23:49Z |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical Medicine Insights: Cardiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-9a5d3ae44d83476284af59199486d8232022-12-22T01:39:54ZengSAGE PublishingClinical Medicine Insights: Cardiology1179-54682012-01-01610.4137/CMC.S8976Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: Where are We Now?Yousif Ahmad0Gregory Y.H. Lip1University of Birmingham Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, City Hospital, Birmingham, UK.University of Birmingham Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, City Hospital, Birmingham, UK.Atrial fibrillation is the commonest arrhythmia worldwide and is a growing problem. AF is responsible for 25% of all strokes, and these patients suffer greater mortality and disability. Warfarin has traditionally been the only successful therapy for stroke prevention, but its limitations have resulted in underutilisation. Major progress has been made in AF research, leading to improved management strategies. Better risk stratification permits identification of truly low-risk patients who do not require anticoagulation and we are able to simplify ourevaluation of a patient's bleeding risk. The advent of novel anticoagulants means warfarin is no longer the only choice for stroke prophylaxis. These drugs circumvent many of warfarin's inconveniences, but only long-term study and use will conclusively demonstrate how they compare to warfarin. The landscape of stroke prevention in AF has changed with effective alternatives to warfarin available for the first time in 60 years—but each new option brings new considerations.https://doi.org/10.4137/CMC.S8976 |
| spellingShingle | Yousif Ahmad Gregory Y.H. Lip Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: Where are We Now? Clinical Medicine Insights: Cardiology |
| title | Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: Where are We Now? |
| title_full | Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: Where are We Now? |
| title_fullStr | Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: Where are We Now? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: Where are We Now? |
| title_short | Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: Where are We Now? |
| title_sort | stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation where are we now |
| url | https://doi.org/10.4137/CMC.S8976 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yousifahmad strokepreventioninatrialfibrillationwherearewenow AT gregoryyhlip strokepreventioninatrialfibrillationwherearewenow |