TY - JOUR T1 - Review: warfarin prevents stroke in non-rheumatic atrial fibrillation but has a higher risk for haemorrhage than other agents JF - Evidence Based Medicine JO - Evid Based Med SP - 150 LP - 150 DO - 10.1136/ebm.6.5.150 VL - 6 IS - 5 A2 - , Y1 - 2001/09/01 UR - http://ebm.bmj.com/content/6/5/150.abstract N2 - . Segal JB, McNamara RL, Miller MR, et al. Anticoagulants or antiplatelet therapy for non-rheumatic atrial fibrillation and flutter. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2001;(1):CD001938 (latest version 29 Nov 2000)..
 
 QUESTION: In patients with non-rheumatic atrial fibrillation (AF), how effective are anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs in preventing thromboembolic complications? Studies were identified by searching 3 databases and relevant journals. Studies were selected if they were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating warfarin, aspirin, combined low dose warfarin and aspirin, low molecular weight heparin, or indobufen for prevention of thromboembolism in AF or atrial flutter and if the outcomes were stroke, major bleeding, or death. Data were extracted on study quality; patient characteristics and inclusion and exclusion criteria; therapeutic protocol, including intensity of coagulation and percentage of time inside and outside of the target range; and results. 14 RCTs were included. 6 RCTs compared warfarin with placebo: warfarin reduced the risk for stroke but increased the risk for … ER -