Timing of anticoagulation after recent ischaemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

About 13-26% of all acute ischaemic strokes are related to non-valvular atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia globally. Deciding when to initiate oral anticoagulation in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation is a longstanding, common, and unresolved clinical challenge. Although the risk of early recurrent ischaemic stroke is high in this population, early oral anticoagulation is suspected to increase the risk of potentially harmful intracranial haemorrhage, including haemorrhagic transformation of the infarct. This assumption, and current treatment guidelines, are based on historical, mostly observational data from patients with ischaemic stroke and atrial fibrillation treated with heparins, heparinoids, or vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) to preve

SUBMITTER: Seiffge DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6524642 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature