Management of atrial fibrillation: a practical and useful synopsis of last guidelines
Published: February 24 2025
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Authors
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia and a disease of aging, as its prevalence increases in the elderly population, reaching approximately 10% in people aged 80 years and older. More than 66% of nearly 6,000 Italian AF patients included in a dedicated observational study were >75 years of age. AF is a strong independent risk factor for stroke due to thrombus formation in and embolization from the left atrial appendage. AF is associated with a fivefold increase in the risk of stroke, which tends to be more severe with higher mortality and disability than strokes in patients without AF. To reduce the risk of stroke or peripheral embolism, treatment with oral anticoagulants is recommended for most patients with AF.
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Citations
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How to Cite
Management of atrial fibrillation: a practical and useful synopsis of last guidelines. (2025). Bleeding, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.4081/btvb.2025.168
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