New pharmacotherapy for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: Update 2010

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commonly encountered arrhythmia in clinical practice and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Its prevalence increases with age, affecting about 1% of patients aged <60 years and almost 10% of patients >80 years. AF is associated with a fivefold increasing risk of embolism or stroke with absolute risk ranging from less than 1% to 20% per year, depending on patient age and the presence of clinical risk factors including …