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. 2008 Dec 10;36(4):198–203. [Article in Spanish] doi: 10.1157/13078612

Fibrilación auricular como factor de riesgo de acontecimientos cerebrovasculares en personas mayores de 65 años: ¿es adecuada la práctica clínica en profilaxis anticoagulante?

Auricular fibrillation as a risk factor of cerebrovascular events in the over-65S. Is clinical practice in anticoagulant prophylaxis adequate?

P Gayoso Diz a,⁎, R Calle Custodio b, A Prieto Maroto b, D Herrera Calvo b, AI Sala López b, MD Gómez Mosquera b
PMCID: PMC7684480  PMID: 16153373

Abstract

Aim

To describe the clinical practice in antithrombotic therapy to prevent stroke in older patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Ourense's area with 95 840 inhabitants over 65 years.

Participants

Patients over 65 with non rheumatic AF, chronic or paroxistic; 411 cases, 69.6% older than 75 year.

Main measurements

Demographic characteristics, personal history, stroke risk, diagnostic characteristics of AF, antithrombotic treatment, and its adequacy.

Results

Only 33% high risk patients received oral anticoagulation (OCA) with warfarin at diagnosis. Some features were found to be significant independent risk factors for OCA: age (older than 75 vs 65-74 years; odds ratio =0.32; 95% confidence interval, 0.18-0.59), and prior stroke (odds ratio =2.02; 95% confidence interval, 1,16-3,55).

Conclusions

Warfarin prophylactic is insufficiently prescribed, especially in older than 75 years (with high baseline risk of stroke and no counter-indications). There was inadequate prescription in 73.4% cases.

Key words: Atrial fibrillation, Elderly, Stroke prevention, Antithrombotic therapy

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