In the first 30 days of warfarin use, risk of stroke increases among atrial fibrillation patients

Patients with atrial fibrillation - an irregular and often abnormally fast heartbeat- have nearly double the risk of suffering a stroke in the first 30 days after starting to take the anti-clotting drug warfarin compared to non-users, according to a study of over 70,000 patients.The study, published online in the European Heart Journal [1], found that the risk was particularly high in the first week after patients started to take the drug. In contrast, once the first 30 days had elapsed, the risk of a stroke was halved in patients taking warfarin compared to non-users.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cardiovascular / Cardiology Source Type: news