J Stroke.  2016 May;18(2):138-145. 10.5853/jos.2016.00157.

Non-Vitamin K Oral Anticoagulants in Stroke Patients: Practical Issues

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Neurology, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany. hans.diener@uk-essen.de

Abstract

Non-vitamin-K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) represent a major advance in the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), offering a similar, if not superior, efficacy and safety profile and several practical advantages over oral vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). The rapid onset of action of the NOACs, their relatively short half-live, and the availability of specific reversal agents may be advantageous when managing acute ischemic strokes, and in the post-stroke, post-transient ischemic attack, and post-intracranial hemorrhage settings. In this review article, we offer practical guidance on the use of NOACs in these settings, focusing on managing the acute event and on initiating or resuming anticoagulation for secondary prevention. We also assess the use of NOACs to prevent stroke and bleeding in patients with AF who have chronic kidney disease, are elderly, or cognitively impaired, and we offer guidance on optimizing the use of NOACs and VKAs in these patient groups in the absence of evidence-based guidelines.

Keyword

Anticoagulants; Atrial fibrillation; Stroke; Transient ischemic attack

MeSH Terms

Aged
Anticoagulants*
Atrial Fibrillation
Hemorrhage
Humans
Ischemic Attack, Transient
Renal Insufficiency, Chronic
Secondary Prevention
Stroke*
Vitamin K
Anticoagulants
Vitamin K
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