title: [Antithrombotic therapy of atrial fibrillation].
abstract: In comparison with the incidence of cerebrovascular accident in the general population, atrial fibrillation increases the risk by a factor of five. Although age is without doubt the main risk factor for cerebrovascular accidents in patients with permanent of paroxysmal non-valvular atrial fibrillation, other independent risk factors have been identified: a previous history of hypertension, cerebrovascular accident, heart failure or diabetes. These factors enable identification of a population at risk in which oral anticoagulation may be recommended with an excellent efficacy/risk ratio. Six large scale randomised controlled multicenter trials of primary prevention have been published with a total of over 2,800 patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. The combined results of these trials show that treatment with vitamin K antagonist (INR 2-3) leads to a significant reduction in the risk of an ischaemic cerebrovascular accident of 64% (95% CI [51-74]; p < 0.001) and in the risk of death from all causes of 28% (95% CI [12-47]; p = 0.038) with a slight increase in the risk of cerebral haemorrhage (+ 2.7% NS). Although the benefits of aspirin therapy are not as impressive (reduction of the risk of an ischaemic cerebrovascular accident of 22%; 95% CI [0-39]; p = 0.053), this alternative may be proposed in patients under 75 years of age without the previously mentioned risk factors. The value of combined aspirin-oral anticoagulant therapy, especially in high risk patients, has not yet been established and is under evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Service de pharmacologie clinique, CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chalon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lechat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011322:Primary Prevention; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D014812:Vitamin K; D014859:Warfarin; D001241:Aspirin
vernacular_title: Traitement antithrombotique de la fibrillation auriculaire.