Analysis of antithrombotic therapy after cardioembolic stroke due to atrial fibrillation or flutter

Guidelines recommend that all patients with atrial fibrillation and a history of ischemic stroke should receive an anticoagulant. Prior analyses show that warfarin is underutilized in most populations.

To examine the use of antithrombotic and anticoagulant therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation or flutter during the index hospitalization for acute, ischemic stroke.

Retrospective electronic medical record review of 200 patients treated at a tertiary care hospital with a primary ICD-9 code for ischemic stroke and a secondary ICD-9 code for atrial fibrillation or flutter. Exclusion criteria were active bleeding, pregnancy, age less than 18, pre-existing warfarin allergy, or dabigatran use.

Fifty-two percent of patients received at least one dose of warfarin during the index hospitalization. There was no relationship between CHADS2 score and likelihood of receiving warfarin (P > .05). There was no significant difference in adverse event rate in patients receiving warfarin compared to those receiving aspirin (3.8% vs 9.1%; P = .14), but the rate of hemorrhagic transformation was lower in patients receiving warfarin (1% vs 7%; P = .03). The composite of hemorrhagic stroke or hemorrhagic transformation was significantly lower in patients receiving bridging therapy (0% vs 11%; P = .03). Sixteen patients were readmitted for stroke within 3 months of discharge. Ten were readmitted for ischemic stroke, 3 for hemorrhagic stroke or hemorrhagic transformation, and 3 for systemic bleeding. Ten patients (62.5%) were receiving warfarin at readmission, but only one of these patients had a therapeutic INR.

Warfarin was underutilized as secondary stroke prophylaxis in these high-risk patients. Bridging therapy appeared to be safe and was not associated with an increase in adverse events.