Hans-Christoph Diener, James Aisenberg, Jack Ansell, Dan Atar, Günter Breithardt, John Eikelboom, Michael D Ezekowitz, Christopher B Granger, Jonathan L Halperin, Stefan H Hohnloser, Elaine M Hylek, Paulus Kirchhof, Deirdre A Lane, Freek W A Verheugt, Roland Veltkamp, Gregory Y H Lip
The choice of oral anticoagulant (OAC) for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) may be influenced by individual clinical features or by patterns of risk factors and comorbidities. We reviewed analyses of subgroups of patients from trials of vitamin K antagonists vs. non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) for stroke prevention in AF with the aim to identify patient groups who might benefit from a particular OAC more than from another. In addition, we discuss the timing of initiation of anticoagulation. In the second of a two-part review, we discuss the use of NOAC for stroke prevention in the following subgroups of patients with AF: (vii) secondary stroke prevention in patients after stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA), (viii) patients with acute stroke requiring thrombolysis or thrombectomy, (ix) those initiating or restarting OAC treatment after stroke or TIA, (x) those with renal impairment on dialysis, (xi) the elderly, (xii) those at high risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, and (xiii) those with hypertension...
March 21, 2017: European Heart Journal