Clinical outcomes of non-valvular atrial fibrillation

Introduction

Non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia.¹ The prevalence of NVAF is approximately 1%; however, it is more commonly found in older adults with a prevalence of up to 10%.¹ Ischemic stroke is one of the most common devastating complications of NVAF.² The risk of ischemic stroke was approximately 5 times higher in patients with NVAF compared to those without.² The CHA₂DS₂-VASc scoring system is the standard tool used for assessing the risk of ischemic stroke in patients with NVAF.² Age greater than 75 years is given 2 points in the CHA₂DS₂-VASc scoring system, whereas age between 65 and 75 is given 1 point.³ Therefore, the majority of older adults with NVAF require oral anticoagulant (OAC) for stroke prevention.^4–6 The risk of major bleeding also increased in older adult NVAF, especially when they are on OAC.^7–9 The…