Warfarin and Atrial Fibrillation

摘要

In our last discussion, we covered the basics of antithrombotic therapy "with warfarin and presented a typical case of an 85-year-old hypertensive woman with noted atrial fibrillation 3 weeks prior. Her arrhythmia (heart rate of 110 bpm) causes minimal symptoms. In discussions between the doctor, the patient, and her sister, warfarin was decided as the course of treatment. How do we start, how and when do we monitor, and why?