Does rivaroxaban reduce length of stay or improve patient experience compared to warfarin in patients with new-onset atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery?
Rivaroxaban is a viable, more convenient alternative to warfarin for post-cardiac surgery atrial fibrillation, supporting its use in shared decision-making.
Treatment with rivaroxaban in new-onset atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery did not decrease length of stay compared with warfarin. However, patients treated with rivaroxaban reported significantly better convenience and a more favorable overall perception of their anticoagulation experience compared with warfarin. Given similar safety profiles, these findings support incorporating rivaroxaban as an option for shared decision-making when selecting anticoagulation therapy for this patient population.
Moonsamy et al. (2025) studied this question.