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Risks and benefits of early anticoagulation after cardioembolic stroke continue to be debated. In the International Stroke Trial (Lancet 1997; 349:1569), atrial fibrillation patients who were not treated with early anticoagulation had a 14-day recurrent-stroke rate of 4.9%; early use of heparin lowered the recurrent-stroke rate to 2.3% but was associated with a 2.4% higher rate of serious hemorrhagic complications. Now, researchers at a single stroke center retrospectively assessed outcomes of 204 cardioembolic-stroke patients (156 with atrial fibrillation). Most patients received anticoagulation therapy as inpatients, with or without bridging with unfractionated or low-molecular-weight heparin (enoxaparin; Lovenox). Whether bridging hepari…