Risk for Stroke in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation Who Are Hospitalized for Something Else

Atrial fibrillation (AF) often occurs in patients who are hospitalized for other causes, and it tends to resolve after underlying stressors (e.g., infection) are eliminated. Although the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) uses a 2% threshold for thromboembolic risk in its class I recommendation for anticoagulation in patients with AF, we don't have good information to guide decision making about stroke prophylaxis for these new-onset, usually transient, cases.

Researchers in Ontario, Canada, evaluated the records of more than 20,000 older patients (age, ≥66) without prior stroke who were discharged with diagnoses of new-onset nonvalvular AF that occurred during hospitalization for another indication. Patients…