scholarly journals Use of Guidelines for Reducing Stroke Risk in Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation: A Review From a Latin American Perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Cantú-Brito ◽  
Gisele Sampaio Silva ◽  
Sebastián F. Ameriso
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Stroke Risk ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Direct Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Scoring Methods ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Evidence Based Guidelines

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prominent risk factor for stroke and a leading cause of death and disability throughout Latin America. Contemporary evidence-based guidelines for the management of AF and stroke incorporate the use of practical and relatively simple scoring methods to estimate both stroke and bleeding risk, in order to assist in matching patients with appropriate interventions. This review examines consistencies and differences among guidelines for reducing stroke risk in patients with AF, assessing the role of user-friendly scoring methods to determine appropriate patients for anticoagulation and other treatment options. Current options include warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants such as dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban. These agents have been found to be superior or noninferior to standard vitamin K antagonist anticoagulation in large randomized trials. Potential benefits of these agents mainly include lower ischemic stroke rates, reduced intracranial bleeding, no need for regular monitoring, and fewer drug–drug and drug–food interactions. Expert opinions regarding clinical situations for which data are presently lacking, such as emergency bleeding and stroke in anticoagulated patients, are also provided. Enhanced attention and adherence to evidence-based guidelines are essential components for a strategy to reduce stroke morbidity and mortality across Latin America.

scholarly journals Intracranial Hemorrhage following Lumbar Puncture in a Patient on Apixaban

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 277-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyanka Vijapura ◽  
Michael J. Maniaci
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Case Report ◽  
Lumbar Puncture ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Direct Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Practice Recommendations ◽  
Diagnostic Lumbar Puncture ◽  
Evidence Based Guidelines

Currently, clinical practice recommendations regarding patients in need of emergent lumbar puncture who are taking direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are based upon expert opinion, as evidence-based guidelines are unavailable. We present the case of an 80-year-old Caucasian lady who underwent diagnostic lumbar puncture for presumed meningitis while on therapeutic apixaban for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. She was subsequently found to have bilateral subdural hematomas. This case report reviews both the current criteria for computerized tomography brain imaging prior to lumbar puncture as well as the bleeding risks of lumbar puncture while on a DOAC.

Abstract 231: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Anticoagulant Choice for Atrial Fibrillation in the Veterans Health Administration: Results From the REACH AF Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Utibe R Essien ◽  
Nadejda Kim ◽  
Leslie Hausmann ◽  
Maria Mor ◽  
Chester Good ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Anticoagulant Therapy ◽  
Stroke Risk ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Direct Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Ethnic Disparities ◽  
Veterans Health ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Race Ethnicity ◽  
Racial Ethnic

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects nearly 1 million patients in VA, with morbidity and mortality disproportionately affecting racial/ethnic minorities. Anticoagulation reduces stroke risk in AF, yet warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are underused in minorities. We compared anticoagulant initiation by race/ethnicity for patients with AF in VA—which facilitates access to medications through a uniform drug formulary. Methods: Using the VA Corporate Data Warehouse, we identified patients from 1/1/2014 - 12/31/2018 with an AF diagnosis and a confirmatory diagnosis ≦180 days of their index AF diagnosis. We excluded patients with an AF diagnosis or anticoagulant therapy in the 2 years prior to their index AF diagnosis, as well as those with valvular heart disease, who died within 180 days of AF diagnosis, or had missing or “other” race/ethnicity. We categorized our independent variable as non-Hispanic white (NHW), non-Hispanic black (NHB), and Hispanic. Our primary outcome was receipt of any anticoagulant ≦180 days of AF diagnosis as well as the type of anticoagulant (warfarin, DOAC) initiated. We used logistic regression to compare outcomes by race/ethnicity, adjusting for year of diagnosis, stroke risk with CHADS2VA2Sc score, renal disease, region and rurality. Results: We identified 148,062 patients with incident AF: 8.6% were NHB, 3.4% Hispanic. Overall, NHBs (57.7%) and Hispanics (58.4%) were less likely than NHWs (61.4%) to initiate any anticoagulant therapy (p <0.01), driven by lower DOAC initiation for minorities (36.8% NHBs, 36.5% Hispanics, 43.0% NHWs; p <0.01). Compared to NHWs, the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) for receiving any anticoagulant or DOACs were significantly lower for NHBs and Hispanics (Table); in contrast, AORs for receiving warfarin were significantly higher among minorities. As DOAC initiation increased from 16.8% (2014) to 60.3% (2018), racial disparities in initiation increased from 1.7 to 9.1% for NHBs vs. NHWs and from 0.9 to 9.4% for Hispanics vs. NHWs. Conclusions: In a national cohort of AF in VA, we identified significant racial/ethnic disparities in anticoagulant initiation, driven by growing disparities in DOAC initiation. Understanding these differences is essential to ensuring equitable AF care in the largest U.S. integrated health care system.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review of the Efficacy and Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Atrial Fibrillation Patients with Diabetes Using a Risk Index

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (13) ◽  
pp. 2924
Author(s):  
Domenico Acanfora ◽  
Marco Matteo Ciccone ◽  
Valentina Carlomagno ◽  
Pietro Scicchitano ◽  
Chiara Acanfora ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Major Bleeding ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Risk Index ◽  
Direct Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Anticoagulation Therapy ◽  
Efficacy Rate ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
Efficacy And Safety

Diabetes mellitus (DM) represents an independent risk factor for chronic AF and is associated with unfavorable outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), with and without diabetes mellitus (DM), using a new risk index (RI) defined as: RI =Rate of EventsRate of Patients at Risk. In particular, an RI lower than 1 suggests a favorable treatment effect. We searched MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, EMBASE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The risk index (RI) was calculated in terms of efficacy (rate of stroke/systemic embolism (stroke SEE)/rate of patients with and without DM; rate of cardiovascular death/rate of patients with and without DM) and safety (rate of major bleeding/rate of patients with and without DM) outcomes. AF patients with DM (n = 22,057) and 49,596 without DM were considered from pivotal trials. DM doubles the risk index for stroke/SEE, major bleeding (MB), and cardiovascular (CV) death. The RI for stroke/SEE, MB, and CV death was comparable in patients treated with warfarin or DOACs. The lowest RI was in DM patients treated with Rivaroxaban (stroke/SEE, RI = 0.08; CV death, RI = 0.13). The RIs for bleeding were higher in DM patients treated with Dabigatran (RI110 = 0.32; RI150 = 0.40). Our study is the first to use RI to homogenize the efficacy and safety data reported in the DOACs pivotal studies against warfarin in patients with and without DM. Anticoagulation therapy is effective and safe in DM patients. DOACs appear to have a better efficacy and safety profile than warfarin. The use of DOACs is a reasonable alternative to vitamin-K antagonists in AF patients with DM. The RI can be a reasonable tool to help clinicians choose between DOACs or warfarin in the peculiar set of AF patients with DM.

scholarly journals Delayed lumbar plexus palsy due to giant psoas hematoma associated with vertebral compression fracture and direct oral anticoagulants: a case report

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chikako Ishii ◽  
Miki Komatsu ◽  
Kota Suda ◽  
Masahiko Takahata ◽  
Satoko Matsumoto Harmon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computed Tomography ◽  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Cerebral Infarction ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Direct Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Lumbar Plexus ◽  
Vertebral Compression Fractures ◽  
Minimal Risk ◽  
Motor Weakness ◽  
Segmental Artery

Abstract Background Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) are commonly observed in elderly people and can be treated by conservatively with minimal risk of complications in most cases. However, utilization of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) increases the risks of secondary hematoma even after insignificant trauma. The use of DOACs increased over the past decade because of their approval and recommendation for both stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation and treatment of venous thromboembolism. It is well known that DOACs are safer anticoagulants than warfarin in terms of major and nonmajor bleeding; however, we noted an increase in the number of bleeding events associated with DOACs that required medical intervention. This report describes the first case of delayed lumbar plexus palsy due to DOAC-associated psoas hematoma after VCF to draw attention to potential risk of severe complication associated with this type of common and stable trauma. Case presentation An 83-year-old man presented with his left inguinal pain and inability to ambulate after falling from standing position and was prescribed DOACs for chronic atrial fibrillation. Computed tomography angiography revealed a giant psoas hematoma arising from the ruptured segmental artery running around fractured L4 vertebra. Because of motor weakness of his lower limbs and expansion of psoas hematoma revealed by contrast computed tomography on day 8 of his hospital stay, angiography aimed for transcatheter arterial embolization was tried, but could not demonstrate any major active extravasation; therefore spontaneous hemostasis was expected with heparin replacement. On day 23 of his stay, hematoma turned to decrease, but dysarthria and motor weakness due to left side cerebral infarction occurred. His pain improved and bone healing was achieved about 2 months later from his admission, however the paralysis of the left lower limb and aftereffects of cerebral infarction remained after 1 year. Conclusion In patients using DOACs with multiple risk factors, close attention must be taken in vertebral injury even if the fracture itself is a stable-type such as VCF, because segmental artery injury may cause massive psoas hematoma followed by lumbar plexus palsy and other complications.

Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Obese Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandros Briasoulis ◽  
Amgad Mentias ◽  
Alexander Mazur ◽  
Paulino Alvarez ◽  
Enrique C. Leira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Comparative Effectiveness ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Direct Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Obese Patients
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