Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulant for Atrial Fibrillation in Obese Patients

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia. It affects 1 in 4 adults aged>40 years,1 and is associated with a 5-fold increased risk of stroke.1 Hence, anticoagulants are universally recommended to prevent stroke and systemic embolism in patients with AF.1 The non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are important alternatives to warfarin for prevention of arterial thromboembolism in patients with AF. Currently, the FDA has approved four NOACs for use in patients with AF: dabigatran is a thrombin inhibitor, while rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban are factor Xa inhibitors.
Source: The American Journal of Cardiology - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Review Article Source Type: research