ABSTRACT
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and is associated with
a high risk of embolic stroke (cause in 15% of all strokes and 30% of strokes in those
>75 years of age). Anticoagulation with warfarin will reduce stroke risk by about
two thirds. The main risks of anticoagulation, namely bleeding, can be minimized by
maintaining anticoagulation control within the international normalized range range
of 2.0 to 3.0 (target: 2.5). To have a public health impact, patients with AF need
efficient and correct identification, with appropriate treatment directed at those
patients at most risk from the condition.
KEYWORDS
Atrial fibrillation - anticoagulation - stroke risk
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F.D.R. HobbsM.D.
Primary Care Clinical Sciences Building, University of Birmingham, Birmingham
B15 2TT, United Kingdom
eMail: f.d.r.hobbs@bham.ac.uk
