A New Era for Anticoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation

For more than 50 years, warfarin has been the primary medication used to reduce the risk of thromboembolic events in patients with atrial fibrillation. Despite its clinical efficacy, warfarin has multiple, well-known limitations, including numerous interactions with other drugs and the need for regular blood monitoring and dose adjustments. Thus, clinicians and patients have been eager to embrace alternative oral anticoagulants that are equally efficacious but easier to administer.In this issue of the Journal, Granger and colleagues report the impressive primary results of the Apixaban for Reduction in Stroke and Other Thromboembolic Events in Atrial Fibrillation trial (ARISTOTLE; ClinicalTrials.gov . . .