title: A new era of antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation.
abstract: Atrial fibrillation/flutter is the most common cardiac arrhythmia that can potentially result in stroke and death. For many years, aspirin and warfarin have been the cornerstone of stroke prevention among such patients. Although warfarin therapy has been advocated for patients with high likelihood of stroke, it requires close surveillance and monitoring, has a narrow therapeutic window and is quite often affected by medication interactions and diet. Thus, the need for a better and more consistent anticoagulant therapy was necessary and has been under development with various successes for many years. This article will review 3 new antithrombotic medications that may potentially become the mainstay for treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation in the near future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, USA.
authors.forename: Harsh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Golwala
authors.forename: Chadi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dib
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tafur
authors.forename: Mazen S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Abu-Fadel
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069604:Dabigatran; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009025:Morpholines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011728:Pyridones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069552:Rivaroxaban; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015091:beta-Alanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D009025:Morpholines; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D011720:Pyrazoles; D011728:Pyridones; D013876:Thiophenes; D015091:beta-Alanine; C522181:apixaban; D014859:Warfarin; D000069552:Rivaroxaban; D000069604:Dabigatran