Oral Anticoagulants for Atrial Fibrillation: Benefits Outweigh Risks for Older Adults

Atrial fibrillation (AF) causes one in seven strokes overall, and one in four strokes in people over the age of 80, according to the National Institutes of Health — which makes stroke prevention a pillar of AF management. Yet oral anticoagulation (OAC), which reduces the risk of stroke by one-half to two-thirds in people with AF, is underutilized in the assisted living and long-term care population.