scholarly journals Problems of Cardioembolic Stroke Primary and Secondary Prevention in the Latvian Population / Kardioemboliska Cerebrāla Infarkta Primārās un Sekundārās Profilakses Problēmas Latvijā

2015 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 199-204
Author(s):  
Kristaps Jurjāns ◽  
Santa Sabeļnikova ◽  
Evija Miglāne ◽  
Baiba Luriņa ◽  
Oskars Kalējs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Secondary Prevention ◽  
Patient Group ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Antiplatelet Agents ◽  
Cardioembolic Stroke ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Primary And Secondary Prevention ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Very High

Abstract Atrial fibrillation is one of major risk factors of cerebral infarction. The use of oral anticoagulants is the only evidence-based method of reducing the risk of cardioembolic accidents. The guidelines of oral anticoagulant admission and usage have been available since 2012. The results of this study show that of 550 stroke patients that were admitted to Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital, Rīga, Latvia, from 1 January 2014 until 1 July 2014, atrial fibrillation was diagnosed in 247 (45%) cases, and of these patients, only 8.5% used oral anticoagulants before the onset of stroke. Six months after discharge of 111 (44.9%) stroke survivors, five (4.5%) used no secondary prevention medication, 27 (24.3%) used antiplatelet agents, 54 (48.6%) warfarin, and 25 (22.5%) used target specific oral anticoagulants (TSOACs). The mortality rate was significantly higher in the patient group that used no secondary prevention medication or antiplatelet agents compared to the patient group that used oral anticoagulants. The use of oral anticoagulants for primary stroke prevention in Latvia is insufficient. The mortality of cardioembolic stroke in 180 days is very high - 40.4%. Secondary prevention is essential to prevent recurrent cardioembolic accidents.

scholarly journals Is Anticoagulation Necessary for Severely Disabled Cardioembolic Stroke Survivors?

Medicina ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (9) ◽  
pp. 586
Author(s):  
Kristaps Jurjans ◽  
Baiba Vikmane ◽  
Janis Vetra ◽  
Evija Miglane ◽  
Oskars Kalejs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Secondary Prevention ◽  
Vitamin K Antagonists ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Cardioembolic Stroke ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Stroke Survivors ◽  
Long Term Outcome ◽  
Preventive Medication ◽  
One Year

Background and Objectives: Oral anticoagulants are the hallmark of cardioembolic stroke prevention, but they are frequently underused, especially in elderly patients and patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. In our paper, we analyzed the long-term outcome of severely disabled cardioembolic stroke survivors depending on the prescribed antithrombotic secondary prevention medication. Materials and Methods: In our study, we retrospectively collected data for ischemic stroke (IS) patients treated in P. Stradins Clinical University hospital, Riga, Latvia, from 2014 until 2017. Patients’ clinical data were collected using local stroke registry, including patients’ demographic data, vascular risk factors, clinical findings, and laboratory results. Severely disabled stroke survivors were followed up by phone at 30/90/180/365 days after discharge. Patients’ functional outcomes were assessed using the adapted version of The Rankin Focused Assessment–Ambulation. The collected data were compared in 4 groups according to prescribed secondary prevention medication. Results: A total of 682 (91.42%) patients were followed up and included in data analysis. The median age of patients was 80 (IQR = 75–85) years. Of these patients, 231 (31%) were males and 515 (69%) were females. One-year probability of survival of patients not taking any preventive medication was 53% (IQR = 29–76), while in patients taking antiplatelet agents it was 57% (IQR = 37–78), 78% (IQR = 68–88) of patients on Vitamin K antagonists (VKA) and 81% (IQR = 72–90) in patients on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). One year after discharge 73 (31%) had mRS 0–2, 50 (20.9%), 29 (12.1%) were still severely disabled, and 87 (36.4%) had died. Conclusions: Anticoagulant use in secondary prevention predicts better functional outcome and higher survival rate in patients with severe cardioembolic stroke due to non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), therefore severe neurological deficit must not be a reason of restriction of anticoagulation.

scholarly journals CARDIOEMBOLIC STROKE IN LATVIA: PREVENTION AND LONG-TERM OUTCOME

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 615-621
Author(s):  
Elina Pucite ◽  
Kristaps Jurjāns ◽  
Evija Miglāne ◽  
Baiba Luriņa ◽  
Oskars Kalējs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Secondary Prevention ◽  
Patient Group ◽  
Stroke Prevention ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Antiplatelet Agents ◽  
Preventive Medication ◽  
One Year

INTRODUCTION: Untreated non-valvular atrial fibrillation is one of major causes of stroke. The goal of the study was to evaluate the use of antithrombotic medication stroke prevention and assess long-term stroke outcome.METHODS: This study involved 531 cardio embolic stroke patients of the Paul’s Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Riga, Latvia, in 2014. After discharge the patients or their relatives were interviewed by phone after 30, 90, 180, and 365 days. Standardized questions were asked about the patients’ abilities and use of prescribed secondary prevention medication. The results were compared between patient groups, assigned according to prescribed medications.RESULTS: Of all the patients included in the study, 8.9% were using oral anticoagulants before stroke onset. One year after discharge, 1.44% of patients were not using any preventive medication, 23.56% were using antiplatelet agents, 43.27% warfarin, and 31.73% target-specific oral anticoagulants. The one-year mortality rate was 40.7%. The mortality rate was significantly higher in the patient group using no secondary preventive medication or antiplatelet agents compared to the patient group that used oral anticoagulants.CONCLUSION: Cardio embolic stroke primary and secondary prevention in Latvia is lacking. The study outcomes suggest that action is needed to increase the use of oral anticoagulants in primary stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation. Poor function outcomes, dementia, and patients’ incompliance limits the use of oral anticoagulants in secondary prevention.

Abstract W P339: Anticoagulation Remains Underutilized in the Management of Atrial Fibrillation: Results From the Edmonton Registry of Atrial Fibrillation and StrokE (ERASE) Study

Stroke ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghazala Basir ◽  
Ashfaq Shuaib ◽  
Affan Tahir ◽  
Kasim Qureshi ◽  
Hasnain Zeeshan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Antithrombotic Therapy ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Antiplatelet Agents ◽  
Tertiary Hospital ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Single Centre ◽  
Chads2 Score ◽  
Similar Frequency ◽  
Prior Stroke

Background: Since 2010, three novel oral anticoagulants (NOAC) have been approved and included in the guidelines as alternatives to warfarin for the prevention of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Prior to the introduction of NOACs, studies showed that anticoagulation with warfarin in stroke patients with NVAF is suboptimal with as few as 40% anticoagulated and most subtherapeutic. The goal of this study is to examine anticoagulation usage in a contemporary prospective registry of TIA/stroke patients with NVAF and determine whether the introduction of NOACs has increased anticoagulation usage. Methods: This is an ongoing single centre observational study. Consecutive TIA/ischemic stroke admissions (2012-13) to a tertiary hospital in Edmonton, Canada with NVAF were enrolled. Data regarding demographic, clinical, antithrombotic treatment and laboratory parameters were collected in a prospectively maintained database. Those with previously diagnosed NVAF were included in the present analysis (149/181). Clinical characteristics were compared between patients on anticoagulants and those on other/no antithrombotic therapy. Results: The 149 included patients had a mean (SD) age of 78.7 (10.0) years. Male were 52.3% and 86.6% (129) had a preadmission CHADS2 score ≥2. At the time of TIA/stroke, 51% (76/149) were on an anticoagulant, 24.2% (36/149) on antiplatelet agents and 28.4% (37/149) were on no antithrombotic therapy. Of the 76 patients on anticoagulants, 81.6% were on warfarin and the remaining (18.4%) were on a NOAC. Only 31% of patients on warfarin had a therapeutic INR at the time of stroke. Patients not anticoagulated had a similar frequency of prior stroke (21% vs. 23%; p=0.80) but tended to have a lower CHADS2 score (p=0.082) than those anticoagulated. In patients with CHADS≥2, 47% were not on an anticoagulant. Conclusions: Despite therapeutic advances in the treatment of NVAF, anticoagulation usage in TIA/stroke patients with preexisting NVAF remains suboptimal. In this study, only 53% of patients with NVAF and a CHADS≥2 were treated with anticoagulants. This study emphasizes the need for increased efforts to encourage prescribing of oral anticoagulants in high-risk individuals.

scholarly journals Cardioembolic stroke: everything has changed

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
J David Spence
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Antiplatelet Agents ◽  
Paradoxical Embolism ◽  
Percutaneous Closure ◽  
Cardioembolic Stroke ◽  
Severe Haemorrhage ◽  
Selection Of Patients ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Metabolic Deficiency

Historically, because of the difficulty of using warfarin safely and effectively, many patients with cardioembolic stroke who should have been anticoagulated were instead given ineffective antiplatelet therapy (or no antithrombotic therapy). With the arrival of new oral anticoagulants that are not significantly more likely than aspirin to cause severe haemorrhage, everything has changed. Because antiplatelet agents are much less effective in preventing cardioembolic stroke, it is now more prudent to anticoagulate patients in whom cardioembolic stroke is strongly suspected. Recent advances include the recognition that intermittent atrial fibrillation is better detected with more prolonged monitoring of the cardiac rhythm, and that percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) may reduce the risk of stroke. However, because in most patients with stroke and PFO the PFO is incidental, this should be reserved for patients in whom paradoxical embolism is likely. A high shunt grade on transcranial Doppler saline studies, and clinical clues to paradoxical embolism, can help in appropriate selection of patients for percutaneous closure. For patients with atrial fibrillation who cannot be anticoagulated, ablation of the left atrial appendage is an emerging option. It is also increasingly recognised that high levels of homocysteine, often due to undiagnosed metabolic deficiency of vitamin B12, markedly increase the risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation, and that B vitamins (folic acid and B12) do prevent stroke by lowering homocysteine. However, with regard to B12, methylcobalamin should probably be used instead of cyanocobalamin. Many important considerations for judicious application of therapies to prevent cardioembolic stroke are discussed.

Late Detection of Atrial Fibrillation after Stroke: Implications for the Secondary Prevention

2019 ◽  
Vol 81 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 262-269
Author(s):  
Christian Tanislav ◽  
Karel Kostev
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Secondary Prevention ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Selection Procedure ◽  
Cerebrovascular Event ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Current Case ◽  
Stroke Group ◽  
General Practices ◽  
Prevention Methods

Background: This study is aimed at investigating the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) within 5 years after an acute cerebrovascular event in AF-naive patients and its relevance for secondary prevention. Methods: The current case-control study sample included patients who had received an initial ischemic stroke diagnosis documented in the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA), which compiles data such as risk factors, drug prescriptions, and diagnoses obtained from 1,262 general practices in Germany. Results: After the selection procedure, the stroke and non-stroke groups each included 22,774 patients. In both groups, the mean age of the population was 68.0 years (SD ±12 years), and the proportion of male participants was 51.1%. Within 5 years of follow-up, we calculated a higher probability for detecting AF in stroke patients than in controls (hazard ratio 4.95; 95% CI 1.93–2.09, p < 0.001). In the stroke group, AF was detected in 2,369 individuals (10.4%), whereas AF was only evident in 1,101 patients (4.8%) in the non-stroke group. In 1,741 (73.5%) patients (out of 2,369), oral anticoagulants had been prescribed after the AF diagnosis. In stroke patients, factors like diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease were associated with restraint in prescribing oral anticoagulants; age did not influence the decision for or against oral anticoagulants (mean age 72.9 vs. 72.7 years). Conclusion: A recent stroke is a strong preconditioning factor for detecting AF within 5 years after an acute event. The majority of these patients are treated with oral anticoagulants, regardless of their age.

scholarly journals Prospective Observational Study of Safety of Early Treatment with Edoxaban in Patients with Ischemic Stroke and Atrial Fibrillation (SATES Study)

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Giovanni Frisullo ◽  
Paolo Profice ◽  
Valerio Brunetti ◽  
Irene Scala ◽  
Simone Bellavia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Early Treatment ◽  
Recurrent Stroke ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Previous Treatment ◽  
Cardioembolic Stroke ◽  
Optimal Time ◽  
Minor Bleeding ◽  
Infarcted Area

New direct oral anticoagulants are recommended for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). However, no data are available regarding the optimal time to start oral anticoagulation after acute stroke. The aim of our study was to evaluate the occurrence of symptomatic bleedings within 90 days from acute cardioembolic stroke in patients who received early treatment with Edoxaban. The study was conducted according to an observational prospective uncontrolled design. Secondary endpoints were the incidence of major bleeding (MB), hemorrhagic transformation within the first week of Edoxaban treatment, minor bleeding, and recurrent stroke. We included patients with Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS) ≥ 6, NVAF, no previous treatment with any other anticoagulant, preserved swallowing function. Patients with estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate < 50 mL/min, body weight < 60 kg, receiving cyclosporine, dronedarone, erythromycin, ketoconazole, or previous treatment with any other anticoagulant were excluded. We enrolled 75 elderly patients with moderate disability. We did not observe any symptomatic intracranial bleeding or recurrent stroke after 3 months of treatment with early administration of Edoxaban, while two gastrointestinal MB, and 11 minor bleedings were reported. Asymptomatic bleeding was evaluated with a brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging performed 5 days after starting anticoagulant treatment with Edoxaban. Specifically, we observed small petechiae in 12% of the patients, confluent petechiae in 6.6% of the patients, and small hematoma of the infarcted area in 2.7% of the patients. No intralesional hematoma or hemorrhagic lesion outside the infarcted area were observed. According to our data, the early use of Edoxaban seems to be safe in patients after cardioembolic stroke. However, due to the small size of the study sample, and the short follow-up period, further studies are needed.

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