Anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation: Should warfarin be temporarily stopped or continued after acute cardioembolic stroke?

Abstract

Despite anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation, some patients still suffer an ischaemic stroke. The issue of whether to stop or continue warfarin, or possibly to reverse the anticoagulation is an area of uncertainty. Continued anticoagulation may, however, increase haemorrhagic transformation of the infarct. In this article we review the published evidence in an attempt to quantify the risks and benefits of each treatment strategy and identify areas for further research. © The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved.