Atrial fibrillation and stroke prevention

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke prevention remain topics of major interest, especially the discussion regarding anticoagulation and whom and how best to treat.1–5 This special issue of the journal highlights some of the current considerations and issues regarding AF and stroke prevention. Stroke risk is estimated according to a scoring system, usually the CHA2DS2-VASC score.6–8 In the first paper of this issue, Lee et al. highlight the relative importance of the individual risk factors for stroke, showing that calculation of individual risk as opposed to average risk can improve risk estimates. Menichelli et al. compare different direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for safety and efficacy in a large network meta-analysis of 605 771 patients. Although the study was based on observational and not randomized data, the analysis provides external validation to the findings of the major randomized trials. Another large observational meta-analysis (440 281 patients)...