Anticoagulation and population risk of stroke and death in incident atrial fibrillation: a population-based cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of stroke and death. Anticoagulation therapy is an effective treatment for stroke prevention, but remains underused in the community. We sought to determine the effectiveness and safety of anticoagulation therapy in an inception cohort with new-onset atrial fibrillation in the province of Alberta, Canada.

Methods

We conducted a population-based cohort study of atrial fibrillation using an administrative database from Alberta's publicly funded and universally available health care system. All new-onset atrial fibrillation patients from Jan. 1, 2009, to Dec. 31, 2010, were included in the cohort and followed through Dec. 31, 2013. We assessed anticoagulation status as a predictor of stroke and death using time-to-event analysis

SUBMITTER: Yu AY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4866920 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan-Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature