Stroke and atrial fibrillation: risks, prevention and therapy in the elderly

Atrial fibrillation (AF) represents a high risk of systemic embolism, particularly of stroke (S). This is true not only when AF is associated with an organic cardiopathy, but also in the so-called nonvalvular AF (NVAF). Not all cases of AF are of the same S-risk; such risk is higher for rheumatic AF and lower for NVAF. Therefore, a risk stratification is important in order to decide long-term antithrombotic prophylaxis. Five major trials have recently examined the thromboembolic prophylaxis in this group of patients. These randomised prospective open studies showed a significant reduction of S and systematic embolism in patients receiving low dose of warfarin (W), even in the elderly, as compared to placebo, and the incidence of hemorrhagic complications was also very low. Significant benefits of aspirin (ASA) were observed only in one trial in patients, except those older than 75 years. In a double blind, randomised trial indobufene was found effective resulting in 67% reduction of S and systematic embolism in patients with various cardiac diseases in AF or sinus rhythm. Consequently, a reasonable policy would be to treat patients with NVAF (also old ones) with anticoagulants unless contraindications or lone atrial fibrillations are present; in the latter cases ASA and indobufene should be considered. In the secondary prevention of ischemic S, W has given good results, whereas ASA and indobufene seem to be promising.