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Updated: Jul 17, 2026

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 28, 2012
[Prevention of brain infarction in patients with atrial fibrillation]
Toshiyasu Ogata1, Masahiro Yasaka
1Department of Cerebrovascular Disease, Cerebrovascular Center and Clinical Research Institute, National Hospital Organization Kyushu Medical Center, 1-8-1 Jigyohama, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka 810-0065, Japan.
Abstract:
The patients with cardioembolic stroke sometimes suffer from severe neurological deficit and from recurrent strokes. Since atrial fibrillation, especially non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is associated with over half of the cardioembolic strokes, the prevention of cardioembolic stroke in patients with NVAF is important. There have been some reports about how to prevent stroke. They have indicated that the best medication for preventing from stroke was anticoagulation by warfarin. Therefore, the guidelines recommended the patients with NVAF to take warfarin. In case with the older patients under 70 years, prothrombin international normalized ratio (PT-INR) should be kept from 2.0 to 3.0. On the other hand, if the patients with NVAF are over 70 years, PT-INR has to be controlled from 1.6 to 2.6. Before extraction of a tooth, anticoagulation should not be call off.
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