心房颤动的抗栓治疗

心房颤动（房颤）是缺血性脑卒中的一个重要的独立危险因素。房颤可使各年龄段患者脑卒中的危险增加4～5倍,其年发生率随年龄而增加,50～59岁为1.5%,60～69岁为2.8%,70～79岁为9.9%,80～89岁为23.5%,平均为4.5%。由非瓣膜性房颤引起缺血性脑卒中的年发生率为5％。是无房颤者的2～7倍。若考虑短暂性脑缺血发作（TIA）和无症状的脑卒中,则年发生率为7％。因此,对于房颤患者,预防缺血性脑卒中的发生对于减少致残率和死亡率尤为重要。     

Antithrombotic therapies for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is now regarded as the arrhythmia for which patients are hospitalized the most frequently, an arrhythmia that is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. Of particular importance is that the arrhythmia is associated with a significant incidence of thromboembolism which may induce disabling and incapacitating strokes, sometimes fatal. In the past, it was thought that in patients with AF restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm prevent the development of strokes, a presumption that has not been vindicated by controlled clinical trials. On the other hand, over many decades, it has been established that appropriate anticoagulation especially with warfarin can reduce stroke rate in nonvalvular AF by about 70%, and mortality by 26%. Aspirin reduces stroke rate by 26%, mortality by about 10%. Thus, in AF oral anticoagulants have become the focal point of therapy for the prevention of strokes and the safety and efficacy of such a therapy has been established by controlled clinical trials; moreover, the subsets of patients with AF in whom anticoagulation is mandatory have been defined on the basis of defined risk factors. Warfarin is now the anticoagulant of choice although its limitations are considerable in terms of drug-drug interactions, narrow range of therapeutic index requiring strict monitoring of intensity of anticoagulation, among other limitations which influence compliance of therapy with the agent. In this review, the continuing role of warfarin in the prevention of stroke in patients with AF is discussed as a background for the development of newer anticoagulants. The issue is of particular importance in the older patients, in whom the development of safer antithrombotic therapies remain a major challenge. In this context, the potential role of the direct thrombin inhibitors hold promise for the future and the evolving data on leading compounds of this class which may be competitive with warfarin are discussed.     

Antithrombotic therapy for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most potent common risk factor for ischemic stroke. The number of Americans with nonvalvular AF is expected to increase markedly over the next several decades, making AF-related stroke an important public health concern. Given the individual and societal burden associated with AF-related stroke, efforts to identify and implement efficacious and acceptably safe therapeutic stroke prevention strategies are paramount. This article reviews the existing randomized trial evidence supporting the efficacy of oral vitamin K antagonists (ie, warfarin) or aspirin for preventing thromboembolism in AF, as well as completed and ongoing studies exploring novel antithrombotic agents including the oral direct thrombin inhibitor, ximelagatran, other antiplatelet agents (eg, clopidogrel), factor Xa inhibitors, and other pharmacological agents and additional therapeutic approaches such as mechanical devices and surgical procedures to obliterate the left atrial appendage.     

老年非瓣膜病心房颤动患者的抗凝治疗

心房颤动已经成为严重威胁老年人健康的慢性疾病,而老年房颤最常见的并发症即为脑卒中及其他血管栓塞事件,其致残率及致死率高。但临床中老年房颤患者抗凝不足,故老年房颤患者抗凝治疗甚为重要。     

Antithrombotic strategies for the management of non-valvular atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, affecting an estimated 2.2 million Americans. The management of non-valvular AF is likely to become even more challenging over the coming decades. The treatment target of AF takes 3 forms: cardioversion, rate control, and minimization of embolic risk. Recently, rate, rather than rhythm control has emerged as a valid therapeutic option in patients with persistent AF. According to current guidelines, International Normalized Ratio-targeted oral anticoagulation and proper stratification of risk remain fundamental principles of management. This article reviews, in depth, the current therapeutic options for atrial fibrillation including oral anticoagulants and unfractionated heparin, as well as reviewing new therapeutic options including bridging therapy with low-molecular-weight heparins and the new oral antithrombotic drug, ximelagatran.     

房颤并发冠心病的抗栓策略

栓塞和血栓形成是房颤(AF)和冠心病的常见并发症,所以对于AF并发冠心病患者进行抗栓治疗就至关重要。治疗AF需要口服抗凝剂以减少缺血性卒中,而对冠心病患者则需要长期抗血小板治疗以减少冠状动脉事件。对于AF并发冠心病的患者,如何平衡抗凝或（联合）抗血小板的获益与出血风险？已成为临床讨论的焦点。本文结合2010年《ESC心房颤动治疗指南》及当前的询证学依据,详细综述了AF并发冠心病这一类栓塞高危人群的抗栓治疗策略。     

Antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation: guidelines translated for the clinician

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in clinical practice, accounting for approximately one-third of hospitalizations for cardiac rhythm disturbances. The highest incidence of AF is in patients 70-80 years old and other high-risk populations. Although the diagnosis of AF is usually straightforward, effective treatment strategies are less well implemented. This is particularly true for antithrombotic therapy, which is very effective at preventing thromboembolic complications of AF. Stroke is the most significant morbidity in AF patients. The yearly risk of stroke increases from 1.5% for AF patients aged 50-59 to 23% for those aged 80-89. Ischemic strokes secondary to AF carry twice the risk of death when compared with strokes from other causes. We provide a practical and useful review of the most recent American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/European Society of Cardiology guidelines-based care and future directions of antithrombotic therapy for patients with AF.     

Antithrombotic therapy in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: a narrative review

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important and potentially modifiable cause of stroke. It has been known since 1989 that oral anticoagulant drugs, such as warfarin, lead to a dramatic decrease in stroke associated with AF. The best risk-benefit ratio is obtained with intensity of oral anticoagulant treatment for an INR of 2-3, even in the elderly. Given the risks of anticoagulant therapy, including bleeding, individual thromboembolic risk must be assessed in patients with AF. In 2009, dabigatran was shown to be a reasonable alternative to vitamin K antagonists, establishing itself as a major alternative to warfarin in AF patients. Rivaroxaban and apixaban have subsequently also been shown to be alternatives to warfarin. When there are contraindications to vitamin K antagonists, antiplatelet agents can produce a therapeutic effect, although much less than oral anticoagulants. Apixaban may be a better alternative to aspirin in this setting. Patients with low-risk atrial fibrillation (no risk factors) have not been the subjects of specific clinical trials. It is unclear what would be the best therapeutic choice for these patients.     

心房颤动节律控制时代如何用好抗心律失常药物

最新研究证明,以抗心律失常药物（anti-arrhythmic drugs,AADs）为主的节律控制策略明显改善心房颤动（房颤）患者的预后,房颤治疗将告别室率控制策略而进入节律控制时代,房颤AADs的应用将会大幅度增加,因此,熟知房颤患者常用各种AADs的特征及如何选择变得尤为重要和迫切。本文详细介绍了各种房颤AADs...     

Antithrombotic therapy for the treatment of atrial fibrillation in the elderly

Atrial fibrillation significantly raises the risk for ischemic stroke, and the prevalence of atrial fibrillation is increasing due to the aging of the population. Reducing the risk of ischemic stroke is one of the cornerstones in the medical management of atrial fibrillation. Oral vitamin K antagonists such as warfarin are highly effective in preventing atrial fibrillation-related thromboembolism, but can be challenging to manage and are associated with increased bleeding risk. Aspirin therapy has modest efficacy in reducing stroke risk, but is much less effective than warfarin. To help guide the choice of optimal antithrombotic therapy, risk stratification for stroke in atrial fibrillation may be helpful, although most elderly patients derive a net benefit from warfarin. Older patients have higher bleeding rates on warfarin and are at higher risk for intracranial hemorrhage. Although the risk of intracranial hemorrhage is generally quite low, its occurrence is associated with significant mortality and disability, and more effective methods to risk stratify patients for intracranial hemorrhage are needed.     

心房颤动合并冠心病患者支架置入术后的抗栓治疗

约20%～30%的心房颤动患者合并冠心病,其中至少5%～7%行冠状动脉支架置入治疗。心房颤动合并冠心病患者支架置入术后需要同时抗凝和抗血小板治疗,平衡血栓事件与出血风险是制定治疗方案的关键。多项临床研究提到,口服抗凝药联合一种抗血小板药将成为三联抗栓治疗的替代治疗方案,但由于样本量不足,尚不能支撑临床决策和个人抗栓方案的制定。大规模、多中心、随机、双盲、高质量的临床试验仍有待出现。     

Antithrombotic therapy for chronic coronary syndrome and atrial fibrillation: less might be more

Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis - The best strategy in atrial fibrillation (AF) after?>?12 months after an acute coronary syndrome or in patients with chronic...     

Antithrombotic management of atrial fibrillation for stroke prevention in older people.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac condition in the elderly population. The primary concern in individuals with AF is the risk of stroke. The management of AF for stroke prevention requires an understanding of the relative risks and benefits of antithrombotic therapy. Numerous randomized clinical trials have improved tremendously our understanding of the relative merits of anticoagulation and aspirin, and indicate that anticoagulation is the appropriate treatment for the majority of individuals with AF. In patients who have contraindications to anticoagulation, aspirin is recommended.     

Antithrombotic therapy for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation and mechanical heart valves

Cardioembolic strokes account for one-sixth of all strokes and are an important potentially preventable cause of morbidity and mortality. Vitamin K antagonists (e.g., warfarin) are effective for the prevention of cardioembolic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and in those with mechanical heart valves but because of their inherent limitations are underutilized and often suboptimally managed. Antiplatelet therapies have been the only alternatives to warfarin for stroke prevention in AF but although they are safer and more convenient they are much less efficacious. The advent of new oral anticoagulant drugs offers the potential to reduce the burden of cardioembolic stroke by providing access to effective, safe, and more convenient therapies. New oral anticoagulants have begun to replace warfarin for stroke prevention in some patients with AF, based on the favorable results of recently completed phase III randomized controlled trials, and provide for the first time an alternative to antiplatelet therapy for patients deemed unsuitable for warfarin. The promise of the new oral anticoagulants in patients with mechanical heart valves is currently being tested in a phase II trial. If efficacy and safety are demonstrated, the new oral anticoagulants will provide an alternative to warfarin for patients with mechanical heart valves and may also lead to increased use of mechanical valves for patients who would not have received them in the past because of the requirement for long term warfarin therapy.     

老年人心房颤动血栓栓塞并发症的防治策略

心房颤动（atrialfibrillation,Af,简称房颤）为临床最常见的持续性心律失常,并随年龄增加其流行率和患病率也不断增加,Af患者大约50％为75岁及以上者。Af易发生缺血性卒中及血栓栓塞并发症,致死与致残,年长也是Af病人卒中的一个强有力的危险因素。并且Af导致卒中的比例随年龄呈指数性增长。另外,Af增加医疗费用,降低老年人的生活质量,缩短寿命。我国由于人口老化,Af病人亦明显增加。因此,老年人的Af不论节律控制或室率控制,如何选择较有效的防治血栓栓塞策略至为重要。