Recent studies clarify the efficacy of antithrombotic therapies, including oral anticoagulation and aspirin, for stroke prevention and assess intracranial hemorrhage risk in atrial fibrillation.
What is the efficacy and safety of antithrombotic therapies for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation?
This review synthesizes key evidence on the efficacy and safety of antithrombotic therapy for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation, highlighting stroke risk stratification and bleeding risks in the elderly.
There new studies help clarify important clinical issues regarding antithrombotic therapy for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation. The European Atrial Fibrillation Trial compared the efficacy of oral anticoagulation, aspirin, and placebo for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation with a recent stroke or transient ischemic attack. The results of the Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation II trial, which compared the efficacy of warfarin and aspirin, provide new information regarding the risk of intracranial hemorrhage in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation. Finally, an analysis of pooled data from the first five randomized trials identified clinical features that are predictive of stroke risk in individual patients with atrial fibrillation. These studies address unanswered questions regarding atrial fibrillation and stroke and have significant implications for patient management. (Arch Intern Med. 1994;154:1443-1448)
G. W. Albers (1994) conducted a review in Atrial fibrillation. Antithrombotic therapy (oral anticoagulation, aspirin, warfarin) vs. Placebo was evaluated on Stroke prevention and risk of intracranial hemorrhage. Recent studies clarify the efficacy of antithrombotic therapies, including oral anticoagulation and aspirin, for stroke prevention and assess intracranial hemorrhage risk in atrial fibrillation.