Cardiology Letters 2018, 27(1):31-35

Antithrombotic therapy in seniors with atrial fibrillation

Olexa P

TOPCARE s.r.o., privátne zdravotné stredisko, Košice, Klinika Gerontológie a Geriatrie, LF UPJŠ a LVN, Košice, Slovenská republika

Seniors with atrial fibrillation have a high risk of ischaemic stroke, having a higher risk with increasing age. However, there is a growing risk of bleeding complications correlated with increased age. Oral anticoagulants present an effective prevention of thromboembolic events, but this treatment is even safer than warfarin for an elderly population. Warfarin and antiplatelet therapy with ASA currently does not have adequate evidence-based medicine available and is not recommended. The results of randomised control studies show that if a patient meets the criteria, they should be treated with NOAK, regardless of age. The highest representation of old and very old seniors was in ENGAGE-AF, followed with dabigatran in RELY. This review article points to the need to increase the awareness of the professional public of the benefits of oral anticoagulants in the group of old patients with AFib.

Keywords: anticoagulants; old age; security; efficiency

Published: January 1, 2018  Show citation