TY - JOUR
T1 - Non-valvular atrial fibrillation and stroke prevention. National Blood Pressure Advisory Committee of the National Heart Foundation
AU - Hankey, G J
PY - 2001/3/5
Y1 - 2001/3/5
N2 - Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects 5% of people older than 65 years. Among patients with AF, the risk of stroke averages about 5% per year. The risk of stroke increases cumulatively with increasing age, previous transient ischaemic attack or stroke, hypertension, diabetes, impaired left ventricular function and a large left atrium. Management aims to identify and treat the underlying cause, control the ventricular rate, restore and maintain sinus rhythm, and minimise the risk of stroke. Warfarin reduces the risk of stroke by about two-thirds, and aspirin by about one-fifth. The risk of anticoagulant-associated haemorrhage increases with serious concomitant disease, and with poorly controlled hypertension and poorly controlled anticoagulation. All patients with chronic AF should be considered for oral anticoagulant therapy, and the decision based on the balance between the risks of thromboembolism and bleeding. The recommended INR (international normalised ratio) is 2.0-3.0. Treating 1,000 "average" AF patients (ie, those with a 5% per year risk of stroke) with warfarin prevents about 30 strokes and causes at least two episodes of major haemorrhage each year. Treating 1,000
AB - Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects 5% of people older than 65 years. Among patients with AF, the risk of stroke averages about 5% per year. The risk of stroke increases cumulatively with increasing age, previous transient ischaemic attack or stroke, hypertension, diabetes, impaired left ventricular function and a large left atrium. Management aims to identify and treat the underlying cause, control the ventricular rate, restore and maintain sinus rhythm, and minimise the risk of stroke. Warfarin reduces the risk of stroke by about two-thirds, and aspirin by about one-fifth. The risk of anticoagulant-associated haemorrhage increases with serious concomitant disease, and with poorly controlled hypertension and poorly controlled anticoagulation. All patients with chronic AF should be considered for oral anticoagulant therapy, and the decision based on the balance between the risks of thromboembolism and bleeding. The recommended INR (international normalised ratio) is 2.0-3.0. Treating 1,000 "average" AF patients (ie, those with a 5% per year risk of stroke) with warfarin prevents about 30 strokes and causes at least two episodes of major haemorrhage each year. Treating 1,000
KW - Anticoagulants/administration & dosage
KW - Atrial Fibrillation/complications
KW - Chronic Disease
KW - Evidence-Based Medicine
KW - Humans
KW - International Normalized Ratio
KW - Intracranial Embolism/etiology
KW - Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
KW - Risk Factors
M3 - Review article
C2 - 11280695
VL - 174
SP - 234
EP - 239
JO - Medical Journal of Australia
JF - Medical Journal of Australia
SN - 0025-729X
IS - 5
ER -