Prevalence and Quality of Warfarin Use for Patients With Atrial Fibrillation in the Long-term Care Setting

Abstract

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION (AF) is the most common cause of embolic stroke, an event that produces high rates of neurologic disability and death.^1,2 The prevalence of AF increases substantially as patients age, with half of all patients with AF being age 75 years and older.³ Because AF is more common among older individuals, and because the risk of stroke associated with AF increases dramatically with advancing age,⁴ the risk of thromboembolic stroke in elderly AF patients is an important public health issue.