Managing Antiplatelet Therapy and Anticoagulants in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease and Atrial Fibrillation.

Oral anticoagulation (OAC) is essential in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Interestingly coronary artery disease coexists in 20-30% of these patients.[1,2] Balancing the risk of bleeding and thromboembolism is very important for the management of patients on OAC, especially than when such patients require percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Lack of data and clear societal guidelines for peri-procedural and post-procedural management of anticoagulated patients has resulted in diverse clinical practices among clinicians, hospitals, and countries. Furthermore with expanding number of available oral antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents, the uncertainty regarding optimal combination therapy in this growing pool of the patients with overlapping clinical indications is also growing. Given the high proportion of patients with atherothrombosis and requiring OAC for conditions particularly like AF, it is important that physicians are aware of the clinical implications and management of these overlapping syndromes. In this article we discuss; this evolving dilemma of peri-procedural and post-procedural management of anticoagulated patient's, burden of the disease, available data, risk factors that could identify high risk patients and propose a well-balanced management strategy.