title: Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care report: preventing stroke in atrial fibrillation.
abstract: 1. Atrial fibrillation is a common disorder in the elderly. 2. Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of stroke five times that of patients in sinus rhythm. 3. Warfarin reduces the risk of stroke by two-thirds in this population. Aspirin might reduce the risk of stroke but by a lesser amount. 4. In this sample, statewide use of Warfarin for primary prophylaxis in patients under 80 was 21% (95% C.I. 14-28%) and use of either Warfarin or aspirin was 42% (95% C.I. 34-50%). 5. Smaller hospitals and hospitals not in Central Arkansas use Warfarin less frequently than larger institutions for prophylaxis of stroke. Likewise, these hospitals are less likely to give any stroke prophylaxis to patients with this condition.
authors.affiliation: Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care.
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Golden
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cleves
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011322:Primary Prevention; D012307:Risk Factors; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014859:Warfarin; D001241:Aspirin