News & Updates

A key focus in the management of atrial fibrillation (AF) in older patients is stroke prevention through oral anticoagulation. However, a significant proportion of older AF patients remain undercoagulated due to the perceived bleeding risk of oral anticoagulants (OACs). Dr Tan Vern Hsen, Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiology, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, and Dr Barbara Helen Rosario, Senior Consultant, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, shared their respective insights into managing older AF patients for an integrated approach.

Geriatric patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are at increased risk of blood clots that can lodge in the brain and cause fatal strokes. At a recent webinar, Professor Olivier Hanon, Head of Geriatrics Department in Broca Hospital, Paris, France, shared insights on how to optimally protect geriatric patients with AF, with a special focus on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), particularly rivaroxaban, for stroke prevention in AF.

Patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) are at high risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), major adverse limb events (MALE), mortality, and future major lower extremity amputation (LEA). PAD patients with multivessel disease or relevant comorbidities such as diabetes and kidney failure are at an even higher risks for such events. [Lancet 2018;391:219-229]