ROCKET AF sub study on rivaroxaban in elderly

Atrial fibrillation – representative image Rivaroxaban is an oral factor Xa inhibitor. It has been shown to be non inferior to warfarin in the ROCKET AF trial. A sub study evaluated how it fared in the elderly [Halperin JL et al. Efficacy and Safety of Rivaroxaban Compared With Warfarin Among Elderly Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation in the Rivaroxaban Once Daily, Oral, Direct Factor Xa Inhibition Compared With Vitamin K Antagonism for Prevention of Stroke and Embolism Trial in Atrial Fibrillation (ROCKET AF). Circulation. 2014; 130: 138-146]. Over six thousand and two hundred patients with atrial fibrillation aged seventy five or more and having two more more stroke risk factors were evaluated in the sub study. Dose of rivaroxaban used was 20 milligrams daily, which was lowered to 15 mg daily if the creatinine clearance was lower than fifty milliliters per minute. The elderly group which constituted forty four percent of the whole study group had similar advantages with rivaroxaban over warfarin, but had higher event rates – both stroke and bleeding, than younger individuals, as expected. But hemorrhagic strokes were similar in both groups. Hence the authors support the use of rivaroxaban as a viable alternative in the elderly.
Source: Cardiophile MD - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs