What is the usual treatment for preventing stroke in people with atrial fibrillation?
That depends on the risk of developing stroke, Halperin says. In people with A-fib, the risk of stroke varies according to a number of factors, he explains. They include age over 75 and the presence of other conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and previous stroke. Aspirin is generally the treatment of choice for people with A-fib and no risk factors. It reduces the risk of stroke by 22%. For people at higher risk for stroke, the blood thinner warfarin, also sold as Coumadin, is the treatment of choice. It lowers the risk of stroke by another 38%, compared with aspirin, says ACTIVE-A study head Stuart Connolly, MD, director of cardiology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.