Clinical observation of anticoagulants and antithrombotic therapy in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the effectiveness and safety of oral anticoagulants and antithrombotic therapy in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation. Methods Patients were divided into anticoagulant group (warfarin) and antithrombotie group (aspirin or clopidogrel) based on the initial treatment. The prothrombin time (PT), activated clotting time (ACT), international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fihrinogen (FIB), thrombin time (TT), coagulation factor Ⅱ,Ⅴ,Ⅶ,Ⅷ,Ⅸ, and Ⅹ,fibrin degradation product (FDP) and D-dimer were tested at baseline and after therapy in both groups. Results The average treatment period was 44.2±37.5 months in antithrombotic group and 39.0±61.5 months in anticoagulant group. There were six cases of isehemic stroke, one acute artery embolism in right lower limb and three gastrointestinal bleeding in antithrombotic group, while two gastrointestinal bleeding and two fatal hemorrhagic stroke in anticoagulant group. The results of PT, ACT, INR, APTT, FIB, TT, coagulation factor Ⅱ,Ⅴ ,Ⅶ, Ⅷ,Ⅸ,Ⅹ,FDP and D-dimer had no significant differences compared with the baseline in antithrombotic group. However, there were significant increase in PT and INR [(8.4±7.5)s and (0. 93±0. 83)s, both P<0. 05)], and significant decrease in ACT, coagulation factor Ⅱ,Ⅶ, Ⅸ and Ⅹ (all P<0. 05) in anticoagulant group. Conclusions Anticoagulant therapy may he effective in prevention of ischemic stroke in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation. However, it may slightly increase the hemorrhage incidence. The overall adverse events were not significantly reduced.