Stroke prevention for patients with atrial fibrillation: values and preferences of Canadian emergency medicine trainees

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common serious cardiac arrhythmia, and it is associated with a 5-fold increase in the risk of ischemic stroke [1 –3] . This risk can be reduced by up to 64% with oral anticoagulation (OAC) [4] . Many patients are first diagnosed with AF in the context of visit to the emergency department (ED), and AF can account for 1% or more of ED visits [5–7] . Clinical risk stratification for stroke and bleeding and subsequent prescription of OAC are the cornerstones of management of AF.
Source: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Correspondence Source Type: research