title: The hemorrhagic risk: how to evaluate it.
abstract: This issue addresses the evaluation of hemorrhagic risk during antithrombotic treatment in atrial fibrillation patients. It illustrates the relevance of bleeding complications in the management of anticoagulation therapy and demonstrates the size of the problem among patients taking old and novel oral anticoagulant drugs. A survey of the main factors affecting the bleeding risk with pertinent supporting evidence is performed. Finally the paper discusses how to estimate the individual bleeding risk focusing on the HAS-BLED score, whose use is recommended by international guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, San Filippo Neri Hospital, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania Angela
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Di Fusco
authors.forename: Furio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Colivicchi
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santini
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents
keywords: atrial fibrillation; bleeding risk; oral anticoagulation