title: [Non valvular atrial fibrillation: the neurologist's perspective].
abstract: In the last years the incidence of thromboembolic stroke has increased. Better control of other cardiovascular risk factors and the ageing of the population with the consequent augmentation of the prevalence of non valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) justify that increase. Although anticoagulation therapy has remarkable efficacy, from the perspective of the neurologist it seems to be underestimated. To support that perspective we present the casuistic of admissions in the Neurology Department of Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra (HUC) during the first trimester of 2011 and the follow up from one to two years of all the patients that were admitted in the Stroke Unit of the HUC during 2010. We conclude that the introduction in the clinical practice of the new oral anticoagulants will allow a simplification of the proceedings in the patients with NVAF promoting, in the majority of the cases, a more marked reduction of thromboembolic events and also a reduction of their most feared complication, intracranial bleeding.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Neurologia dos Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. lcunha@huc.min-saude.pt
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cunha
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D009462:Neurology; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants