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1.
Security profile of direct anticoagulants. Preferred use in atrial fibrillation.
Roldán Rabadán, I, Alonso de Leciñana, M, Barba Martín, R, Páramo Fernández, JA, ,
Clinica e investigacion en arteriosclerosis : publicacion oficial de la Sociedad Espanola de Arteriosclerosis. 2019;(6):263-270
Abstract
A multidisciplinary panel of cardiologists, neurologists, internal medicine and specialists in hemostasis and thrombosis has elaborated this document showing recent scientific evidences supporting a better profile of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) versus vitaminK antagonists (VKA), as well as the indications of specific antidotes and hemostatic agents to reverse the anticoagulant effects of DOACs. The analysis reinforces the best profile of DOACs and its special benefit in patients with basal high hemorrhagic risk.
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2.
Association of Antihyperglycemic Therapy with Risk of Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke in Diabetic Patients.
Lăcătușu, CM, Grigorescu, ED, Stătescu, C, Sascău, RA, Onofriescu, A, Mihai, BM
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania). 2019;(9)
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke are both forms of CVD that have major consequences in terms of disabilities and death among patients with diabetes; however, they are less present in the preoccupations of scientific researchers as a primary endpoint of clinical trials. Several publications have found DM to be associated with a higher risk for both AF and stroke; some of the main drugs used for glycemic control have been found to carry either increased, or decreased risks for AF or for stroke in DM patients. Given the risk for thromboembolic cerebrovascular events seen in AF patients, the question arises as to whether stroke and AF occurring with modified incidences in diabetic individuals under therapy with various classes of antihyperglycemic medications are interrelated and should be considered as a whole. At present, the medical literature lacks studies specifically designed to investigate a cause-effect relationship between the incidences of AF and stroke driven by different antidiabetic agents. In default of such proof, we reviewed the existing evidence correlating the major classes of glucose-controlling drugs with their associated risks for AF and stroke; however, supplementary proof is needed to explore a hypothetically causal relationship between these two, both of which display peculiar features in the setting of specific drug therapies for glycemic control.
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3.
Anticoagulant treatment in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation: a position paper.
Hanon, O, Jeandel, C, Jouanny, P, Paccalin, M, Puisieux, F, Krolak-Salmon, P, Berrut, G
Geriatrie et psychologie neuropsychiatrie du vieillissement. 2019;(4):341-354
Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in the elderly. The treatment of this condition is based on anticoagulation to prevent stroke and systemic arterial embolism. Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) have long been the only anticoagulants available for the management of AF. Administration is complex and is one of the main causes of iatrogenic disease in the elderly. In the past 10 years, direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have emerged, and large randomised trials (RE-LY, ROCKET-AF, ARISTOTLE, ENGAGE-AF) have demonstrated their superiority over VKAs in the management of AF. These trials were conducted on large numbers of patients (n=71,683), including 27,500 patients aged ≥75 years and nearly 8,000 subjects aged >80 years. Results from 11 recent meta-analyses of randomised trials and observational real-world studies of 660,896 elderly patients indicate that DOACs are more effective than VKA-based prophylaxis in preventing stroke (with a reduction in risk ranging from 13% to 26%), and carry a lower risk of cerebral haemorrhaging (50% reduction in risk). The risk of major haemorrhaging appears to be similar to, or lower than that with DOACs relative to VKAs (depending on the dosage, renal function, haemorrhagic site or type of DOAC). Moreover, improved outcomes with DOACs over VKA therapy have been demonstrated based on subgroup analyses in subjects aged over 75, in patients with renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance: 30-50 mL/min) and in those with a history of falls. Analyses indicate that DOACs are a better choice than VKAs in the elderly because elderly patients are at greatest risk of stroke and cerebral haemorrhaging. In summary, DOACs have a better efficacy/tolerance profile than VKAs, which justifies their first-line use in subjects over 75 years of age.
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4.
Pharmacotherapeutic strategies for atrial fibrillation in pregnancy.
Georgiopoulos, G, Tsiachris, D, Kordalis, A, Kontogiannis, C, Spartalis, M, Pietri, P, Magkas, N, Stefanadis, C
Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy. 2019;(13):1625-1636
Abstract
Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is rare during pregnancy but its incidence is expected to rise in parallel to increasing age of women in pregnancy and fraction of pregnant women with structural heart disease. Areas covered: The authors provide a review of the contemporary evidence on diagnostic work-up and optimal pharmacotherapeutic management of AF in pregnancy. The authors have performed a systematic search for relevant articles using MEDLINE, the COCHRANE LIBRARY, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Expert opinion: New-onset AF during pregnancy is usually an indication of underlying heart disease and should lead to hospital admission. Patients should be evaluated by an experienced cardiologist or an electrophysiologist. Direct cardioversion is highly effective and safe in pregnant women and should be prioritized over pharmacologic cardioversion with intravenous ibutilide or flecainide. Amiodarone should be avoided if possible. Digoxin and beta-blockers are the rate-control pharmaceutic agents with the widest experience of use. Catheter ablation during pregnancy should be considered in selected cases of atrial flutter refractory to medication and only performed using fluoroless techniques, preferably during the second trimester. Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) can be used after the first trimester, while low molecular weight heparin should be accompanied by periodic evaluation of anti-Xa factor. Non-VKA oral anticoagulants should be avoided because of limited experience in pregnancy.
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5.
Contemporary Management of Direct Oral Anticoagulants During Cardioversion and Ablation for Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation.
Trujillo, TC, Dobesh, PP, Crossley, GH, Finks, SW
Pharmacotherapy. 2019;(1):94-108
Abstract
As overall prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) continues to rise, the number of patients who undergo ablation, or electrical/chemical cardioversion, to restore normal sinus rhythm continues to increase as well. As direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have continued to be incorporated into clinical practice for long-term anticoagulation for AF, experience with how best to manage use of DOACs during electrophysiologic procedures is evolving. This review is intended to provide health care providers with a summary of current evidence regarding the use of DOACs during cardioversion and catheter ablation and provide key considerations for their use during such electrophysiologic procedures. PubMed and MEDLINE were searched from inception through June 2018 for studies in humans comparing DOACs alone or against vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in adult patients (> 18 yrs) who underwent cardioversion or AF catheter ablation using the following key words: "rivaroxaban," "dabigatran," "apixaban," "edoxaban," "non-vitamin K antagonists," "direct or new oral anticoagulants," "warfarin," "vitamin K antagonists," "cardioversion," "ablation of atrial fibrillation," "uninterrupted," and "catheter ablation." Four retrospective studies and three prospective trials comparing DOACs with VKA in patients undergoing cardioversion and three prospective studies in patients undergoing catheter ablation for AF were identified. Observational data and meta-analyses were also critically reviewed. Prospective trials to date suggest similar efficacy and safety with using DOACs in the setting of cardioversion and AF ablation compared to traditional therapy with VKA, with or without bridging. Injectable anticoagulant overlap can be avoided in patients receiving DOACs in the setting of cardioversion for AF. Minimal interruption in anticoagulation may be only necessary for AF ablation in those with highest bleeding risk, such as in renal dysfunction and where drug-drug interactions may increase risk for anticoagulant accumulation. Periprocedural advantages of DOACs include convenience, rapid and predictable onset of effect, improved patient satisfaction, and potential for reduced costs.
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6.
[Is it necessary to prescribe oral anticoagulant therapy for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation during acute coronary syndrome, and for how long?].
Visconti, LO, Ferlini, M, Rordorf, R, Savastano, S
Giornale italiano di cardiologia (2006). 2019;(6):361-366
Abstract
There is limited knowledge on the occurrence of new-onset, transient atrial fibrillation during acute coronary syndromes; compared with patients in sinus rhythm, patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation have an increased risk of in-hospital and long-term recurrence of the arrhythmia, all-cause mortality and ischemic stroke. There is a lack of prospective, randomized studies on anticoagulant therapy modalities in this specific subset of patients. In the absence of a widely accepted anticoagulation algorithm, the international guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation recommend to initiate anticoagulant treatment during acute coronary syndromes estimating in each patient the thrombotic and bleeding risk using the CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores, respectively. In the last updates of the guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation, non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants are recommended over warfarin and, in patients with atrial fibrillation who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting for acute coronary syndromes, dual antiplatelet therapy with rivaroxaban or dabigatran and clopidogrel is reasonable to reduce the risk of bleeding compared with triple therapy. Neither scientific evidences nor recommendations from the guidelines are available about the duration of anticoagulant therapy in case of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation during acute coronary syndromes.
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7.
Antithrombotic treatment in atrial fibrillation patients undergoing PCI: Is dual therapy the winner?
Mantis, C, Alexopoulos, D
Thrombosis research. 2019;:133-139
Abstract
Approximately 7% of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent implantation have atrial fibrillation. The optimal antithrombotic treatment in such of patients remains one of the most challenging and difficult scenarios in Cardiology. Triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT), consisting of dual antiplatelet therapy plus an oral anticoagulant, has been used for decades in order to reduce ischemic and thromboembolic events, while significantly increasing the risk for severe bleeding. Recently, results of several clinical trials suggest that the use of dual antithrombotic therapy (DAT), consisting of single antiplatelet therapy plus an oral anticoagulant, reduces the risk of bleeding, while maintaining the same level of efficacy as compared to TAT. These data have been interpreted in a variety of ways, often giving conflicting recommendations and leaving many unanswered questions on the optimal antithrombotic treatments of patients with atrial fibrillation who undergo PCI. DAT consisting of a non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant and clopidogrel, while omitting aspirin from the immediate post discharge period, appears as an attractive, simplified strategy for most patients and supported by many experts in the field. In this review we aim to better define the role of DAT versus TAT in atrial fibrillation patients undergoing PCI and analyze remaining controversial issues and future expectations.
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8.
Stroke Prevention, Evaluation of Bleeding Risk, and Anticoagulant Treatment Management in Atrial Fibrillation Contemporary International Guidelines.
Proietti, M, Lane, DA, Boriani, G, Lip, GYH
The Canadian journal of cardiology. 2019;(5):619-633
Abstract
In recent years the management of atrial fibrillation patients has progressively and substantially changed because of the introduction of new treatments and the availability of new data regarding the epidemiology and clinical management of these patients. In the past 2 years alone, there have been 7 new guidelines or guideline updates that have been published, which have introduced new recommendations and significantly revised previously published ones. Two updates for Canadian guidelines were published in 2016 and 2018, whereas guidelines from the European Society of Cardiology in 2016, Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society were published in 2017, National Heart Foundation of Australia/Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand, American College of Chest Physicians, and Korean Heart Rhythm Society have been published in 2018. In this narrative review we provide a comparison of these contemporary international guidelines, with particular attention on the evaluation of thromboembolic and bleeding risks and management of oral anticoagulant therapy. From the analysis of contemporary guidelines on the management of atrial fibrillation, a general agreement is evident about the baseline evaluation of thromboembolic and bleeding risk, as well as a preference for the use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants. Also, regarding the concomitant use of oral anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs in patients with acute coronary syndromes, undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention, catheter ablation, and cardioversion procedures, all of the guidelines agree on the general principles and are supported by evidence. More data are still needed to better substantiate recommendations for specific atrial fibrillation subpopulations. The need for an integrated approach and holistic management is highlighted in the more recently published guidelines.
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9.
Anticoagulation Resumption After Stroke from Atrial Fibrillation.
Mac Grory, B, Flood, S, Schrag, M, Paciaroni, M, Yaghi, S
Current atherosclerosis reports. 2019;(8):29
Abstract
The goal of this paper is to review literature on the topic of anticoagulation resumption after stroke from atrial fibrillation. Following ischemic stroke, the average annual risk of recurrent stroke in a patient with a CHADS2 score of 9 is 12.2%%, translating to an average daily risk of 0.03%%. Oral anticoagulant therapy provides a 75% relative risk reduction. However, in the 2-week period immediately following an acute stroke, this daily risk appears to be elevated. The same period is associated with an increased risk of hemorrhagic transformation of ischemic stroke due to reperfusion, impaired autoregulation, and disruption of the blood-brain barrier. Use of thrombolytics and anticoagulants, baseline infarct size, presence of microhemorrhages, and evidence of hemorrhagic transformation further increases the risk of symptomatic hemorrhagic. The decision to resume anticoagulation early after ischemic stroke from atrial fibrillation must carefully balance the risks of hemorrhagic transformation with the risk of recurrent stroke. There are currently 4 trials in progress at present (OPTIMAS, ELAN, TIMING, and START) comparing different anticoagulant resumption protocols after stroke in patients on non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants. There are a number of major limitations of the studies to date on the timing of anticoagulation resumption on stroke in atrial fibrillation. For instance, they do not explicitly account for infarct size, presence/absence of hemorrhagic transformation, recanalization via mechanical thrombectomy, and bleeding diatheses such as liver synthetic dysfunction or thrombocytopenia. These factors are crucial in personalizing a treatment decision to an individual patient.
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10.
Recent evidence for direct oral anticoagulants in chronic kidney disease.
Ha, JT, Badve, SV, Jun, M
Current opinion in nephrology and hypertension. 2019;(3):251-261
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have emerged as an effective and safe alternative to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for stroke and venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention. However, patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) experience an increase in the risk of both thromboembolism and bleeding, and the risk-benefit profile of DOACs, particularly in advanced CKD remains a source of ongoing debate. This review summarizes the recent evidence on the effects of DOACs in CKD across a range of clinical indications including newly emerging indications. RECENT FINDINGS Data on early-to-moderate stage CKD derived from pivotal randomized controlled trials in broader atrial fibrillation and VTE populations support the favorable risk-benefit ratio of DOACs compared with VKAs in patients in these groups. However, safety data from observational studies comparing DOACs with VKAs in patients with atrial fibrillation and CKD (moderate to advanced) have been conflicting. Recent trials have evaluated the efficacy of low-dose DOACs on major cardiovascular outcomes, showing promising risk-benefit ratios in high-risk populations with concurrent CKD. SUMMARY Current data on patients with CKD derived from trials in the broader population suggest that DOACs are an effective alternative to VKAs in patients with early-to-moderate stage CKD. However, studies on patients with advanced CKD are lacking. Further randomized controlled trials, particularly those evaluating the risk of any clinically relevant bleeding as part of a more accurate assessment of the risk-benefit profile of DOACs in people with CKD, are needed.