[Antithrombotic drugs in atrial fibrillation]

Stroke and peripheral thrombo-embolism are common in all forms of atrial fibrillation which is responsible for a hypercoagulable state. Clinical and echocardiographic risk stratification allow therapeutic recommendations among the different antithrombotic strategies used in randomized studies (adjusted-dose oral anticoagulant, aspirin or a combination of aspirin and low-dose oral anticoagulant) in agreement with recent guidelines from the European and American associations of cardiology for the managMent of patients with atrial fibrillation.