title: Patterns of anticoagulation in patients hospitalized with atrial fibrillation: warfarin is underused in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
abstract: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) has a similar stroke risk when compared with chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF). Our study sought to define the incidence of warfarin use at time of admission and discharge in patients hospitalized with PAF and CAF. Anticoagulation rates upon hospital admission were 89% in the patients with CAF and 38% in patients with PAF, and increased to 100% for patients with CAF and 81% for patients with PAF at the time of hospital discharge. Despite a similar risk of stroke, patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were less likely to receive long-term oral anticoagulation (AC) compared to patients with chronic atrial fibrillation.
authors.affiliation: Hospital of Saint Raphael, P-207, Section of Cardiology, 1450 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA. bmarcu@srhs.org
authors.forename: C Bogdan
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Marcu
authors.forename: Andre E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ghantous
authors.forename: Eugene A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Caracciolo
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Donohue
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D000075202:Contraindications; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D014859:Warfarin