Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Transesophageal Atrial Burst Pacing for Atrial Fibrillation Induction in Rats
05:12

Transesophageal Atrial Burst Pacing for Atrial Fibrillation Induction in Rats

Published on: February 14, 2022

3.8K

Perception of the Risk of Stroke and the Risks and Benefits of Oral Anticoagulation for Stroke Prevention in Patients

Mohammad Hijazi1, Sami Aljohani1, Fahad Alqahtani1

  • 1Division of Cardiology, West Virginia University, Morgantown.

Mayo Clinic Proceedings
|April 3, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) significantly overestimate their stroke and bleeding risks when considering oral anticoagulation (OAC). This perception gap highlights a need for better patient education on AF management.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Patient Perception Studies
  • Risk Assessment

Background:

  • Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia associated with a high risk of stroke.
  • Oral anticoagulation (OAC) is a cornerstone therapy for stroke prevention in AF.
  • Accurate patient understanding of stroke and bleeding risks is crucial for treatment adherence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate patient perception of stroke risk without OAC.
  • To assess patient perception of bleeding risk with OAC.
  • To compare perceived risks with calculated risks (CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc and HAS-BLED scores) and literature data.

Main Methods:

  • A survey was conducted among 227 consecutive chronic AF patients.
  • Participants estimated their stroke and bleeding risks using quantitative scales.
  • Perceived risks were compared to CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc and HAS-BLED scores and literature values.

Main Results:

  • A negligible correlation was found between perceived and estimated stroke risk (r=0.07) and bleeding risk (r=0.16).
  • Most patients overestimated their risks: 52.9% perceived >20% annual stroke risk, and 53.5% perceived >10% annual bleeding risk.
  • 89.9% of patients believed OAC would reduce their annual stroke risk by at least 50%.

Conclusions:

  • Patients with AF markedly overestimate their risks of stroke and bleeding.
  • A significant disparity exists between perceived and actual risks associated with AF and OAC.
  • Further research is required to address these risk perception discrepancies and improve patient education.
Abstract

More Related Videos

The Mouse Stroke Unit Protocol with Standardized Neurological Scoring for Translational Mouse Stroke Studies10:45

The Mouse Stroke Unit Protocol with Standardized Neurological Scoring for Translational Mouse Stroke Studies

Published on: February 7, 2025

1.5K
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

87.6K

Related Concept Videos

Cross-Sectional Research01:50

Cross-Sectional Research

In cross-sectional research, a researcher compares multiple segments of the population at the same time. If they were interested in people's dietary habits, the researcher might directly compare different groups of people by age. Instead of following a group of people for 20 years to see how their dietary habits changed from decade to decade, the researcher would study a group of 20-year-old individuals and compare them to a group of 30-year-old individuals and a group of 40-year-old...
12.4K
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...
2.2K
Relative Risk01:12

Relative Risk

Relative risk (RR) is a statistical measure commonly used in epidemiology to compare the likelihood of a particular event occurring between two groups. This metric is important for evaluating the relationship between exposure to a specific risk factor and the probability of a particular outcome. It plays a crucial role in medical research, public health studies, and risk assessment. Relative risk quantifies how much more (or less) likely an event is to occur in an exposed group compared to an...
2.0K
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection01:26

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection

The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
13.3K
Regulation of Stroke Volume01:27

Regulation of Stroke Volume

The regulation of stroke volume, which is the amount of blood the heart pumps out during each heartbeat, is critical for maintaining a healthy circulatory system. Stroke volume is influenced by three main factors: preload, contractility, and afterload.
Preload refers to the degree of stretch on the heart before it contracts. It's analogous to the stretching of a rubber band; the more it's stretched, the more forcefully it snaps back. This concept is encapsulated in the Frank-Starling law of the...
4.8K
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,...
11.7K