Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: Focus on Asian Patients

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia conferring a fivefold increased risk of stroke. Stroke prevention is the cornerstone of management of patients with AF. Asians have a generally higher incidence of AF-related risks of stroke and bleeding (particularly intracranial bleeding), compared with non-Asians. Despite the well-documented efficacy and relative safety of oral anticoagulation for stroke prevention among Asians, the suboptimal use of oral anticoagulation remains common. The current narrative review aims to provide a summary of the available evidence on stroke prevention among patients with AF focused on the Asia region, regarding stroke and bleeding risk evaluation, the performance of oral anticoagulation, and current use of thromboprophylaxis.