Can This Common Blood Thinner Prevent A Stroke?

When working with patients who have atrial fibrillation, the biggest hurdle is deciding whether to prescribe an anticoagulant — a medication to prevent blood clots from forming. Because the average age of an atrial fibrillation patient is 76, the risk of stroke has to be weighed against the risk of bleeding. After that, the decisions get easier. - Stephen Kopecky, MD, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic. The possibility of a life-threatening stroke is one of the most alarming aspects of atrial fibrillation— the most common type of arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat. The two small upper chambers— or atria — of the heart, beats chaotically during atrial fibrillation, raising the risk of blood clots. You will have a stroke if a clot breaks free and moves to the brain, which can be fatal. Related article: Compare Eliquis (Apixaban) Prices Online Those with atrial fibrillation are five times more likely than those who don't have the condition to have a stroke. In fact, one ...