Circulation
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Meta Analysis
Selecting patients with atrial fibrillation for anticoagulation: stroke risk stratification in patients taking aspirin.
The rate of stroke in atrial fibrillation (AF) depends on the presence of comorbid conditions and the use of antithrombotic therapy. Although adjusted-dose warfarin is superior to aspirin for reducing stroke in AF, the absolute risk reduction of warfarin depends on the stroke rate with aspirin. This prospective cohort study tested the predictive accuracy of 5 stroke risk stratification schemes. ⋯ Patients with AF who have high and low rates of stroke when given aspirin can be reliably identified, allowing selection of antithrombotic prophylaxis to be individualized.