How can we quantify stroke risk and bleeding risk while counseling at the bedside?
Clinicians treating patients with atrial fibrillation often face a difficult decision when choosing stroke prevention therapy with aspirin or warfarin. Benefits in terms of the likelihood of stroke must be weighed against the risk of bleeding with either treatment. A meta-analysis of clinical trials found that the relative risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation was reduced by 22% with aspirin and 62% with adjusted-dose warfarin.1 However, knowledge of the patient’s baseline risk of stroke is important for making individualized estimates of the benefits of the stroke prevention regime.
