Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
28:13

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: February 26, 2013

34.1K

Oral anticoagulant use for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation patients with difficult scenarios

Ting-Yung Chang1,2,3, Jo-Nan Liao1,2,3, Tze-Fan Chao1,2,3

  • 1Heart Rhythm Center, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

International Journal of Cardiology. Heart & Vasculature
|September 7, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases stroke risk. This review discusses using oral anticoagulants, including newer non-vitamin K antagonist options, for stroke prevention in AF patients, especially in complex cases.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, significantly increasing risks of stroke, heart failure, and mortality.
  • Oral anticoagulants are essential for preventing ischemic stroke in AF patients.
  • Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) have been standard, but non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) offer comparable efficacy with reduced bleeding.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of oral anticoagulant (OAC) use in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients.
  • To address challenges in OAC selection for AF patients with complex characteristics.
  • To review the efficacy and safety of NOACs versus VKAs in stroke prevention.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of clinical trials and guidelines on OACs in AF.
  • Comparative analysis of NOACs (dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, edoxaban) and warfarin.
  • Focus on evidence for managing AF patients in difficult scenarios.

Main Results:

  • NOACs are as effective as warfarin in preventing ischemic stroke in AF patients.
  • NOACs demonstrate a lower rate of major bleeding compared to warfarin.
  • Selecting the appropriate OAC requires careful consideration of individual patient factors.

Conclusions:

  • NOACs represent a significant advancement in stroke prevention for AF patients.
  • Personalized OAC selection is crucial for optimizing outcomes in AF management.
  • Further research and clinical guidance are needed for complex AF patient populations.

Keywords:
Atrial fibrillationChronic kidney diseaseCoronary interventionOral anticoagulationValvular heart disease

More Related Videos

Robotic Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation11:21

Robotic Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: May 29, 2015

20.2K
The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation23:33

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: February 28, 2012

84.6K

Related Concept Videos

Anticoagulant Drugs: Vitamin K Antagonists and Direct Oral Anticoagulants01:18

Anticoagulant Drugs: Vitamin K Antagonists and Direct Oral Anticoagulants

Oral anticoagulants are vital tools in preventing and treating blood clotting disorders. This diverse class of medications can be categorized as vitamin K antagonists, exemplified by warfarin, and direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs), such as dabigatran, as well as factor Xa inhibitors, including rivaroxaban.
Warfarin, a prominent vitamin K antagonist family member, exerts its effect by inhibiting the enzyme VKORC1 (vitamin K epoxide reductase complex 1). By hindering this enzyme, warfarin...
2.4K
Amyloid Fibrils03:03

Amyloid Fibrils

Amyloid fibrils are aggregates of misfolded proteins.  Under most circumstances, misfolded proteins are either refolded by chaperone proteins or degraded by the proteasome. However, in the case of a mutation or a disease, these proteins can accumulate to form large clusters and often further assemble to form elongated fibers, called fibrils. 
Amyloid deposits were observed as early as 1639 in the liver and the spleen.   In 1854, Rudolph Virchow performed iodine staining,...
12.0K
Amyloid Fibrils03:03

Amyloid Fibrils

6.4K
Fibril-associated Collagen01:11

Fibril-associated Collagen

Fibril-associated collagens are a type of collagens present in the extracellular matrix with interrupted triple helices or FACIT (Fibril-associated collagens interrupted triple-helices). FACIT help connect and attach the collagen fibrils with each other as well as with other proteins of the extracellular matrix.
For example, the type II collagen fibrils in cartilage have covalently bound type IX fibril-associated collagens at regular intervals. Other types of fibril-associated collagens are...
3.4K
Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins01:30

Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins

Hemostasis is a crucial process that prevents excessive blood loss from damaged blood vessels. It involves various mechanisms such as vasoconstriction, platelet adhesion and activation, and fibrin formation. The importance of each mechanism depends on the type of vessel injury. In contrast, thrombosis is the abnormal formation of a blood clot within the blood vessels, leading to potential complications if the clot obstructs blood flow. Thrombosis can be caused by increased coagulability of the...
1.9K
Cancer Prevention02:59

Cancer Prevention

Several factors can increase the risk of cancer in an individual. About 50% of cancer cases can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, eating healthy, and following a modest cancer prevention diet. Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that populations with vegetable and fruit-rich diets have reduced the incidence of cancer. On the other hand, populations who have a diet rich in animal fat, red meat, junk food, or high calories are predisposed to cancer.
Some...
8.1K