Back to Search
Start Over
Optimisation of Anticoagulation in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.
- Source :
-
Malta Medical Journal . 2015, Vol. 27 Issue 3, p38-43. 6p. - Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- Atrial fibrillation is a common cardiac arrhythmia associated with debilitating complications, one of which is stroke. Anticoagulants (warfarin and the non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants) are recommended for stroke prophylaxis, their utilisation however requires stroke risk reduction to be balanced against hemorrhage risk. Current review of the literature suggests that despite the presence of risk stratification tools such as the CHADS2 and the newer CHA2DS2-VASc, clinicians often find it challenging to anticipate the risk-benefit ratio of anticoagulation. This results in both the underuse and overuse of anticoagulation in patients as well as uncertainty over whether to use anticoagulation in paroxysmal AF. This review looks at optimising anticoagulation by improving the assessment of bleeding risk and by improving the assessment of stroke risk. The percutaneous occlusion of the left atrial appendage is an emerging alternative to oral anticoagulation therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *ANTICOAGULANTS
*ATRIAL fibrillation
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 18133339
- Volume :
- 27
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Malta Medical Journal
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 110268980