[Atrial fibrillation in the elderly].

Abstract

Elderly people more than 70 years develop atrial fibrillation that causes stroke and heart failure. Furthermore, the elderly people who have atrial fibrillation accompany many risk factor, and develop cerebral infarction easily. Therefore, it is very important to prevent cerebral infarction using anticoagulant drugs. So far we usually use warfarin, which has many limitations, especially cerebral bleeding. Now new anticoagulant drugs(dabigatran and rivaroxaban) can become available. Therefore, we have to learn how to use those drugs. They have to carefully be used because they discharge from kidney and old aged patients have potential renal dysfunction. We mainly explain anticoagulant therapy in old aged patients.

• Authors: Norikazu Watanabe, Youichi Kobayashi
• Journal: Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine (Nihon Rinsho) Vol. 71 Issue 1 Pg. 153-60 (Jan 2013) ISSN: 0047-1852 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 23631188 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Anticoagulants

Topics

• Aged
• Anticoagulants (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Atrial Fibrillation (diagnosis, drug therapy, etiology)
• Catheter Ablation (methods)
• Humans
• Risk Factors
• Stroke (complications, drug therapy)