Risk of bleeding with long-term antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation
1McMaster Clinic, HHSGeneral Hospital, 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, Ontario L8L 2X2, Canada
2Coagulation Unit, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
3Geriatrics Division, Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
4Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center and Rehabilitation Outcomes Research Center, Gainesville, FL, USA
* Corresponding author. Tel: +1 905 528 9946; fax: +1 905 5211551. E-mail address: schulms{at}mcmaster.ca
The fear of bleeding complications is a common reason for withholding effective prophylaxis with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) against thromboembolism. This article reviews the epidemiology of bleeding complications with VKAs, with particular emphasis on studies in patients with atrial fibrillation. Risk factors for bleeding, which can be divided into those related to excessive anticoagulant effect and/or those related to increased patient susceptibility, are discussed. The strongest risk factors can be built into models for predicting bleeding during anticoagulant therapy, and two such models that have been published are described. Finally, effective corrective treatment of excessive anticoagulation and bleeding episodes, that are crucial for the outcome and different modalities, are also reviewed.
Key Words: Anticoagulation Bleeding Atrial fibrillation Reversal Prediction
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