Anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation

In this overview the actual guideline-recommendations for anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation and the problems of the currently available therapy are discussed. Furthermore an outlook over future developments in this field is given. Effective anticoagulation can prohibit thrombembolic events and is thus essential for the prognosis of patients suffering from atrial fibrillation. Until now vitamin-K-antagonists (VKAs) and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) are available for oral anticoagulation in these patients. VKAs demonstrate a satisfying efficiency combined with rather high bleeding hazard. ASA on the other hand allows only moderate risk reduction with minimal side effects. Thus the guidelines recommend anticoagulation tailored to the individual risk, which can be evaluated by the CHADS2-Score. New therapeutic strategies, like the factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban or the factor II inhibitor dabigatran, are actually evaluated in phase III studies. These drugs bear the hope of higher efficiency combined with improved safety and much more comfortable use in the daily practice (e. g. no need for INR measurement, no dose adaptation).