Is it safe to stop oral anticoagulation after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation? 2019

Jorge Romero, and Ricardo Avendano, and Juan Carlos Diaz, and Jose Taveras, and Florentino Lupercio, and Luigi Di Biase
a Department of Cardiology , Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine , Bronx , NY , USA.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia worldwide. Its increasing prevalence has made the use of oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention routine; however, their use after the blanking period of catheter ablation remains uncertain. Areas covered: This review outlines the pros and cons of stopping oral anticoagulation after catheter ablation. Major databases such as Pubmed or Embase were used. The most relevant articles published were used along with major recommendations of society guidelines. Authors will also discuss different proposed mechanisms of atrial fibrillation and more importantly future directions in this topic. Expert commentary: The use of oral anticoagulants after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation is debatable; however, based on current guidelines, we support the use of oral anticoagulants after the blanking period of catheter ablation. Noteworthy is that although the risk of bleeding can be fatal in some cases, it does not outweigh the risk of a disabling stroke.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006470 Hemorrhage Bleeding or escape of blood from a vessel. Bleeding,Hemorrhages
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000284 Administration, Oral The giving of drugs, chemicals, or other substances by mouth. Drug Administration, Oral,Administration, Oral Drug,Oral Administration,Oral Drug Administration,Administrations, Oral,Administrations, Oral Drug,Drug Administrations, Oral,Oral Administrations,Oral Drug Administrations
D000925 Anticoagulants Agents that prevent BLOOD CLOTTING. Anticoagulant Agent,Anticoagulant Drug,Anticoagulant,Anticoagulant Agents,Anticoagulant Drugs,Anticoagulation Agents,Indirect Thrombin Inhibitors,Agent, Anticoagulant,Agents, Anticoagulant,Agents, Anticoagulation,Drug, Anticoagulant,Drugs, Anticoagulant,Inhibitors, Indirect Thrombin,Thrombin Inhibitors, Indirect
D001281 Atrial Fibrillation Abnormal cardiac rhythm that is characterized by rapid, uncoordinated firing of electrical impulses in the upper chambers of the heart (HEART ATRIA). In such case, blood cannot be effectively pumped into the lower chambers of the heart (HEART VENTRICLES). It is caused by abnormal impulse generation. Auricular Fibrillation,Familial Atrial Fibrillation,Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation,Persistent Atrial Fibrillation,Atrial Fibrillation, Familial,Atrial Fibrillation, Paroxysmal,Atrial Fibrillation, Persistent,Atrial Fibrillations,Atrial Fibrillations, Familial,Atrial Fibrillations, Paroxysmal,Atrial Fibrillations, Persistent,Auricular Fibrillations,Familial Atrial Fibrillations,Fibrillation, Atrial,Fibrillation, Auricular,Fibrillation, Familial Atrial,Fibrillation, Paroxysmal Atrial,Fibrillation, Persistent Atrial,Fibrillations, Atrial,Fibrillations, Auricular,Fibrillations, Familial Atrial,Fibrillations, Paroxysmal Atrial,Fibrillations, Persistent Atrial,Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillations,Persistent Atrial Fibrillations
D015995 Prevalence The total number of cases of a given disease in a specified population at a designated time. It is differentiated from INCIDENCE, which refers to the number of new cases in the population at a given time. Period Prevalence,Point Prevalence,Period Prevalences,Point Prevalences,Prevalence, Period,Prevalence, Point,Prevalences
D016896 Treatment Outcome Evaluation undertaken to assess the results or consequences of management and procedures used in combating disease in order to determine the efficacy, effectiveness, safety, and practicability of these interventions in individual cases or series. Rehabilitation Outcome,Treatment Effectiveness,Clinical Effectiveness,Clinical Efficacy,Patient-Relevant Outcome,Treatment Efficacy,Effectiveness, Clinical,Effectiveness, Treatment,Efficacy, Clinical,Efficacy, Treatment,Outcome, Patient-Relevant,Outcome, Rehabilitation,Outcome, Treatment,Outcomes, Patient-Relevant,Patient Relevant Outcome,Patient-Relevant Outcomes
D017115 Catheter Ablation Removal of tissue with electrical current delivered via electrodes positioned at the distal end of a catheter. Energy sources are commonly direct current (DC-shock) or alternating current at radiofrequencies (usually 750 kHz). The technique is used most often to ablate the AV junction and/or accessory pathways in order to interrupt AV conduction and produce AV block in the treatment of various tachyarrhythmias. Ablation, Transvenous Electric,Catheter Ablation, Electric,Catheter Ablation, Percutaneous,Catheter Ablation, Radiofrequency,Catheter Ablation, Transvenous,Ablation, Catheter,Ablation, Transvenous Electrical,Catheter Ablation, Electrical,Electric Catheter Ablation,Electrical Catheter Ablation,Percutaneous Catheter Ablation,Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation,Transvenous Catheter Ablation,Ablation, Electric Catheter,Ablation, Electrical Catheter,Ablation, Percutaneous Catheter,Ablation, Radiofrequency Catheter,Ablation, Transvenous Catheter,Electric Ablation, Transvenous,Electrical Ablation, Transvenous,Transvenous Electric Ablation,Transvenous Electrical Ablation
D020521 Stroke A group of pathological conditions characterized by sudden, non-convulsive loss of neurological function due to BRAIN ISCHEMIA or INTRACRANIAL HEMORRHAGES. Stroke is classified by the type of tissue NECROSIS, such as the anatomic location, vasculature involved, etiology, age of the affected individual, and hemorrhagic vs. non-hemorrhagic nature. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp777-810) Apoplexy,Cerebral Stroke,Cerebrovascular Accident,Cerebrovascular Apoplexy,Vascular Accident, Brain,CVA (Cerebrovascular Accident),Cerebrovascular Accident, Acute,Cerebrovascular Stroke,Stroke, Acute,Acute Cerebrovascular Accident,Acute Cerebrovascular Accidents,Acute Stroke,Acute Strokes,Apoplexy, Cerebrovascular,Brain Vascular Accident,Brain Vascular Accidents,CVAs (Cerebrovascular Accident),Cerebral Strokes,Cerebrovascular Accidents,Cerebrovascular Accidents, Acute,Cerebrovascular Strokes,Stroke, Cerebral,Stroke, Cerebrovascular,Strokes,Strokes, Acute,Strokes, Cerebral,Strokes, Cerebrovascular,Vascular Accidents, Brain
D028761 Withholding Treatment Withholding or withdrawal of a particular treatment or treatments, often (but not necessarily) life-prolonging treatment, from a patient or from a research subject as part of a research protocol. The concept is differentiated from REFUSAL TO TREAT, where the emphasis is on the health professional's or health facility's refusal to treat a patient or group of patients when the patient or the patient's representative requests treatment. Withholding of life-prolonging treatment is usually indexed only with EUTHANASIA, PASSIVE, unless the distinction between withholding and withdrawing treatment, or the issue of withholding palliative rather than curative treatment, is discussed. Withdrawing Care,Cessation of Treatment,Withdrawing Treatment,Care, Withdrawing,Treatment Cessation,Treatment Cessations,Treatment, Withdrawing,Treatment, Withholding,Treatments, Withdrawing,Treatments, Withholding,Withdrawing Treatments,Withholding Treatments

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