title: Dabigatran Versus Warfarin in Atrial Fibrillation: Multicenter Experience in Turkey.
abstract: Safety issues have been raised about dabigatran. We aimed to investigate the occurrence of safety outcomes in patients who had atrial fibrillation and a risk of stroke. We analyzed 439 patients prescribed dabigatran (n = 220) or warfarin (n = 219). Ischemic stroke occurred in 15 (6.8%) patients in the warfarin group versus 5 (5.2%) patients in the 110-mg group versus 1 (0.8%) patient in the 150-mg dabigatran group (P = .015). Intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 6 (2.7%) patients in the warfarin group versus 3 (2.4%) patients in the 150-mg dabigatran group (P = .104). Death from any cause occurred in 10 (4.6%) patients in the warfarin group versus 1 (1.0%) patient in the 110-mg dabigatran group (P = .005). Dabigatran was associated with less ischemic stroke and death from any cause than warfarin. Dabigatran may be a better option for stroke prophylaxis, where recommended monitoring with warfarin is suboptimal.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Ağrı State Hospital, Ağrı, Turkey.
authors.forename: Onur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Aslan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey yaylalimd@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Yaylali
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, Ağrı State Hospital, Ağrı, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Van Region Training and Research Hospital, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yurtdas
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Senol
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ugur-Yildiz
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Van Region Training and Research Hospital, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D000069604:Dabigatran / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D014421:Turkey; D014859:Warfarin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D014859:Warfarin; D000069604:Dabigatran
keywords: drug monitoring; hemorrhage; myocardial infarction; stroke; thromboembolism