Safety of oral anticoagulation in stroke patients with atrial non valvular fibrillation

Abstract:

Background The indication of oral anticoagulants has been shown to be the most effective management strategy to prevent new ischaemic events in non-valvular atrial fibrillation patients but the latter has included the bleeding complications risks. Objective The aims of this study is describe the evolution of patients' with stroke and FANV anticoagulated with warfarin, starting from the comparison with a group with same condition without anticoagulation. Patients and methods This was a transverse descriptive and retrospective study of 62 non-valvular atrial fibrillation and cardioembolic stroke patients previously admitted in the stroke unit. Results Females were predominant (34/54.8%), mean patient age was 76.5 years. The most frequent risk factors were high blood pressure and a past history of ischaemic stroke and ischaemic cardiopathy. The greatest incidence of new ischaemic events occured in the group of patients without anticoagulation therapy (9/28.1%).The primary cause of non anticoagulation was the falls risk related to age (72%). 37,5% of patients had warfarin withdrawn. 13 (27.1%) previously anticoagulated patients experience any kind of hemorrhagic complication. Was not demonstrated statistical relationship between the relapse of the ischemic stroke or the hemorrhagic complications with the anticoagulation. Conclusions Our study suggests the utility of the oral anticoagulation with warfarin in the secondary prevention of the ischemic stroke in patients with FANV. © 2012 Sociedad Neurológica Argentina. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L. Todos los derechos reservados.

Año de publicación:

2013

Keywords:

• Ischaemic stroke
• warfarin
• Non-valvular atrial fibrillation
• oral anticoagulation

Fuente:

scopus