Suggest

[southerngirl]

Afib makes you 5 times as likely to have a stroke. Perhaps you could make a visit to a cardiologist and determine if certain medications that can reduce the risk for stroke are appropriate for you.

[Janco]

Do not fully understand the question, but yes there are all types of meds. From Aspirin(new research shows it will not adequately prevent stroke) to warfarin, and other "new" anticoagulants.

I believe other members with much more experience, and expertise will through in their comments.

[Finvola]

Anti-coagulation is an important factor for all of us with AF or AFlutter. I found the following link useful in understanding the way risk is estimated:

clincalc.com/cardiology/str...

[BobD Volunteer]

The CHADS and CHADSVASC scores highlight the stroke risk and sign post to anticoagulation. It is less the AF and more the company it keeps which causes the strokes but yes here in UK we could save around 8000 strokes a year if we could identify and anticoagulate all those with AF .

[Hidden in reply to BobD]

I would add that a CHADVASC score of 1 does not mean that you won't have a stroke if you have AF. From my experience, if you have AF you should really consider taking an anticoagulant.

[rosyG]

and Aspirin doesn't anti coagulate

[Zabadak]

Yes, my cardiologist tells me I am safe from stroke on apixaban. He is always reassuring me on that.

[BobD Volunteer]

NO anticoagulant can guarantee that you won't have a stroke, nothing can but they generally lower the 70%+ risk to below about 20%. You still need to attend to things like blood pressure, alcohol, obesity and stress etc.

[01maxdog]

It was only when I had a stroke that I was told I had A Fib , so horse stable door closed scenario for me

[Richard1945]

Generically, anti-coagulants do reduce the risk of stroke. However, aFib and the risk of stroke is accompanied by "the company it keeps". Good phrase. Propriety is the controlling factor. And each aFib patient has different risk factors. There is no overarching generalization. And the anti-coagulants have their particular risks as well.

[Hidden]

If there are no other factors to keep AF company, what then? As to generalisation, does AF without anticoagulants have five times the risk of stroke, and if so how is this varied by time? Although it's four years since I discussed this with specialists in the field, they didn't know. I'm arguing here to avoid "a bloke down the pub said", results from small samples and meta-analysis. As I've written before, perhaps I've listened too much to Doctor Margaret McCartney, the "resident sceptic" on Inside Health.