Stroke Prevention, Evaluation of Bleeding Risk and Anticoagulant Treatment Management in Atrial Fibrillation Contemporary International Guidelines

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2019Source: Canadian Journal of CardiologyAuthor(s): Marco Proietti, Deirdre A. Lane, Giuseppe Boriani, Gregory Y.H. LipAbstractIn recent years the management of AF patients has progressively and substantially changed due to the introduction of new treatments and the availability of new data regarding the epidemiology and clinical management of these patients. In the last two years alone, there have been seven new guidelines or guideline updates that have been published, introducing new recommendations and significantly revising previously published ones. Two updates for Canadian guidelines were published in 2016 and 2018, while guidelines from the European Society of Cardiology in 2016, Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society in 2017, National Heart Foundation of Australia/Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand, American College of Chest Physicians and Korean Heart Rhythm Society in 2018 have been published. This narrative review aims to provide a comparison of these contemporary international guidelines, with particular attention on the evaluation of thromboembolic and bleeding risks and management of OAC therapy.From the analysis of contemporary guidelines on the management of atrial fibrillation, a general agreement is evident about the baseline evaluation of thromboembolic and bleeding risk, as well as a preference for the use of NOACs. Also, regarding the concomitant use of OAC and antiplatelet drugs in patients with acute ...
Source: Canadian Journal of Cardiology - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research